BP algorithm is the most widely used supervised training algorithms for multi-layered feedforward neural net works. However, BP takes long time to converge and quite sensitive to the initial weights of a network. In this paper, a modified cuckoo search algorithm is used to get the optimal set of initial weights that will be used by BP algorithm. And changing the value of BP learning rate to improve the error convergence. The performance of the proposed hybrid algorithm is compared with the stan dard BP using simple data sets. The simulation result show that the proposed algorithm has improved the BP training in terms of quick convergence of the solution depending on the slope of the error graph.

This study aimed to assess orthodontic postgraduate students’ use of social media during the COVID-19 lockdown. Ninety-four postgraduate students (67 master’s students and 27 doctoral students) were enrolled in the study and asked to fill in an online questionnaire by answering questions regarding their use of social media during the COVID-19 lockdown. The frequency distributions and percentages were calculated using SPSS software. The results showed that 99% of the students used social media. The most frequently used type of social media was Facebook, 94%, followed by YouTube, 78%, and Instagram, 65%, while Twitter and Linkedin were used less, and no one used Blogger. About 63% of the students used elements of social media to l

The study aims at investigating the effectiveness of the Virtual Library Technology, in developing the achievement of the English Language Skills in the Center of Development and Continuous Education, in comparison with the individual learning via personal computer to investigate the students' attitude towards the use of both approaches. The population of the study includes the participants in the English Language course arranged in the Center. The sample includes 60 students who were randomly chosen from the whole population (participants in English Courses for the year 2009-2010). The sample is randomly chosen and divided into two experimental groups. The first group has learned through classroom technology; while the other group has l

         This study investigated the effect of using brainstorming as a teaching technique on the students’ performance in writing different kinds of essays and self regulation among the secondary students. The total population of this study, consisted of (51) female students of the 5^th Secondary grade in Al –kawarzmi School in Erbil during the academic year 2015-2016. The chosen sample consisted of 40 female students, has been divided into two groups. Each one consists of (20) students to represent the experimental group and the control one. Brainstorming technique is used to teach the experimental group, and the conventional method is used to teach the control group. The study inst

Leishmania species are the causative agent of a tropical disease known as leishmaniasis. Previous studies on the old world species Leishmania major, showed that the amastigotes form which resides inside the macrophage of the vertebrate host, utilize host’s sphingolipids for survival and proliferation. In this study, gene expression of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) subunit two (MmLCB2) of the mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7), which is the first enzyme in the de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis, was detected in both infected and non-infected macrophages. This was detected under condition where available sphingolipid was reduced, with the new world species Leishmania mexicana. Results of qPCR analysis showed that there was no differen

Gastrointestinal diseases and especially chronic gastritis are mainly induced by Helicobacter pylori infection, and provides the basis for gastric carcinogenesis and colorectal cancer. The study involved the detection of serum anti-H. pylori IgG and IgA antibody of  and some serum biomarkers ;CEA and CA19-9 in patients with gastrointestinal diseases. Fifty eight serum samples were collected from 25 males and 33 females .Peripheral venous blood was collected from each patient and sera obtained  by centrifugation. Serum anti-H. pylori IgG and IgA ,serum CEA and  CA19-9 were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays (ELISA).Forty eight serum samples were positive for IgG (82.7% ) divided int

Aim: To evaluation the effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus on Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) serotype O157:H7 with detection of some virulence factors. Methods: Two hundred and fifty specimens (stool) from children under five years for both sexes were collected from some hospitals. All isolates were diagnosed according to morphological characteristics, biochemical tests. Monoplex pattern of PCR was used also for detection different genes in (7) Escherichia coli )O157:H7 (isolates; include 16SrRNA, eae, lifA, Stx1,Stx2 that encoded for ribosomal RNA, intimin, lymphocyte inhibitory factor, shiga toxins. Three types of probiotics strains were obtained, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus (A

Introduction The Hybrid Gamma Camera (HGC) is being developed to enhance the localisation of radiopharmaceutical uptake in targeted tissues during surgical procedures such as sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. Purpose To assess the capability of the HGC, a lymph-node-contrast (LNC) phantom was constructed for an evaluative study simulating medical scenarios of varying radioactivity concentration and SLN size. Materials and methods The phantom was constructed using two methyl methacrylate PMMA plates (8 mm thick). The SLNs were simulated by drilling circular wells of diameters ranging between 10 mm and 2.5 mm (16 wells in total) in one plate. These simulated SLNs were placed underneath scattering material with thicknesses ranging between 5 mm