Comparison of ANN and XGBoost surrogate models trained on small numbers of building energy simulations.

Surrogate optimisation holds a big promise for building energy optimisation studies due to its goal to replace the use of lengthy building energy simulations within an optimisation step with expendable local surrogate models that can quickly predict simulation results. To be useful for such purpose, it should be possible to quickly train precise surrogate models from a small number of simulation results (10-100) obtained from appropriately sampled points in the desired part of the design space. Two sampling methods and two machine learning models are compared here.

Lead, nickel and vanadium in seafood: an exposure assessment for Kuwaiti consumers.

Human exposure to lead (Pb), nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V) through the ingestion of six species of fish and two species of shrimp in Kuwait are determined. The study on seafood consumed by the Kuwaiti residents was analyzed by conducting a survey in five districts of the country, namely, Kuwait city (Capital), Farwaniya, Jahra, Hawaly and Ahmedi. Samples consisting of fish and shrimp were purchased from the local fish market during November 1995 and June 1996.

Effects of the water-soluble fraction of partially combusted crude oil from Kuwait's oil fires (from Desert Storm) on survival and growth of the marine fish Menidia beryllina.

Effects of the water-soluble fraction of partially combusted crude oil (PCCO) from oil fires in Kuwait on survival and growth of the marine fish Menidia beryllina were studied relative to those of Kuwaiti crude oil (CO). Survival was studied as a function of total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations [TPH] in 96-hr static exposures. The specific growth rate (SGR) and specific growth inhibition (SGI) percentage were studied as a function of [TPH] in 16-day flowthrough exposure.

Subacute toxicity of the water-soluble fractions of Kuwait crude oil and partially combusted crude oil on Menidia beryllina and Palaemonetes pugio.

As a consequence of the 1991 Gulf War, a substantial amount of crude oil (CO) and partially combusted crude oil (PCO) were emitted into the environment. Therefore, the study objective was to evaluate the toxicity of the water soluble fraction (WSF) of CO and PCO on a fish, Menidia beryllina, and an invertebrate, Palaemonetes pugio, in 16-d flow-through tests. Specific growth rate (SGR) was studied as a function of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPHC) concentration in water.

Lead in drinking water from water coolers and in fingernails from subjects in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

In response to concerns raised by the Kuwait Ministry of Public Health (KMPH) about the high lead levels in some commercial water coolers, samples of drinking water and fingernails were collected from 129 healthy donors (77 males and 52 females) during the period December 1994-February 1995. The mean nail lead levels for females and males were 5.50 +/- 7.