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Maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC) are two significant compaction criteria, especially for quality control and design engineers. Estimating laboratory proctor compaction test is rigorous, time-consuming, and expensive, hindering projects with limited budgets and tight schedules. This study proposed the novel application of hybrid particle swarm optimization (PSO) optimized Gaussian process regression (GPR), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) algorithms for predicting the soil compaction parameters. Analyzing 2148 in situ soil samples from various geological locations established the maximum proficiency of the XGB algorithm followed by KNN, GPR, and RF in MDD, whereas XGB, KNN, RF, and GPR in OMC. Furthermore, the level 1 and level 2 validation results ascertain the robustness of models in predicting MDD and OMC on different geological location datasets. Eventually, the AI-based computer software developed through this study offers reliable and efficient predictions for civil engineers.

ABSTRACT Wollastonite with or without microsilica was evaluated as a new material for partial replacement of cement in M40 grade pavement quality concrete. Wollastonite is abundantly available in the Udaipur [...]

Estimates of turbomachinery performance trends inform system-level compromises during preliminary design. Existing empirical correlations for efficiency use limited experimental data, while analytical loss models require calibration to yield predictive results. From a set of 3708 radial compressor computations, this paper maps efficiency as a function of mean-line aerodynamics, and determines the governing loss mechanisms. An open-source turbomachinery design code creates annulus and blade geometry, then runs a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulation for compressors sampled from the mean-line design space. Polynomial surface fits yield a continuous eight-dimensional representation of the design space for analysis, predicting efficiency with a root-mean-square error of 1.2% points. The results show a balance between surface dissipation in boundary layers and mixing loss due to casing separations sets optimum values for inlet Mach number, hub-to-tip ratio, de Haller number, and backsweep angle. Surface dissipation drives the effect of flow coefficient, with high surface areas at low values, and high velocities at high values. Compact compressor designs are achieved by increasing inlet Mach number, reducing hub-to-tip ratio, and minimizing the radial loading coefficient—all of which reduce efficiency approaching design space boundaries. An interactive web-based tool makes the results available to practising engineers, demonstrating large ensembles of automated designs and simulations as a higher-fidelity replacement for legacy empirical correlations in preliminary design.

Naomi Elster, described as a scientist and a volunteer for the Abortion Rights Campaign, says, 'It's time to talk about the pseudoscience corrupting the abortion debate.' (The ARC is an [...]

NRL News readers are largely aware that I have lately been documenting the epidemic of breast cancer that has followed the expansion of abortion into Asia--China and India in particular. [...]

ABSTRACT: This article examines the abortion breast cancer link in some historical scientific detail, offering a perspective on an issue that is at the center of a long-running public policy [...]

The Autumn 2005 issue of this journal contained an excellent article by Charles Francis, Q.C., on problems resulting from poor medical standards in abortion practice. One of the negative consequences [...]

Global Positioning System (GPS)-based road traffic prediction is one of the predominating technologies in the modern technological era, which facilitates smooth navigation and reduces mobility time. Various Navigation Maps are used worldwide for traffic congestion and delay prediction, which relies upon the GPS location of the individual’s smartphone to predict traffic congestion and delay utilizing stored data and current GPS locations. However, this method sometimes malfunctions due to the uneven distribution of passengers in different vehicle types on the roadway as there are far more passengers in buses as compared with trucks, if few buses are present in the traffic stream then it will show congestion and delay in traffic. Existing mapping techniques possess limits to incorporate the classified vehicle count and categories of vehicles. To mitigate such limitations, this work overlays the information of GPS localization, using existing Maps, with classified vehicle count and vehicle categories to estimate better road traffic congestion and delay. We consider two mid-sized Indian cities in the state of Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi and Gorakhpur) due to the diverse nature of mixed road traffic. For classified vehicle count data, video recording was carried out by using video recording cameras at various sites in both considered cities. Next, different handcrafted features are extracted from the collected traffic volume data prior to the training of the machine learning-based forecasting models (ARIMA and SVM) to predict traffic volume. The classified road traffic vehicle utilizes previously observed values for prediction, thereby helps in making a good decision about route selection and traffic management. Further, this work annotates the forecasted data overlay with GPS value as per the traffic condition to build an XGBoost-based classification model. Finally, the results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed technique and highlighted the importance of integrating classified vehicle count and categories of vehicles with GPS. We achieve forecasting accuracy of more than 93% for both ARIMA and SVM forecasting models, followed by more than 95% accuracy of prediction via XGBoost.

Updatable estimates of COVID-19 onset, progression, and trajectories underpin pandemic mitigation efforts. To identify and characterise disease trajectories, we aimed to define and validate ten COVID-19 phenotypes from nationwide linked electronic health records (EHR) using an extensible framework.

An undergraduate laboratory was developed as part of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative’s Open Synthesis Network. This activity aimed to develop new compounds efficacious against visceral leishmaniasis. Students successfully synthesized, purified, and characterized ten different benzoxazole amides that were sent for biological testing against several protozoan parasites. Although all the benzoxazole amides had poor activity against L. donovani, several (2, 4, and 9) showed moderate activity against T. cruzi, T. b. rhodesiense, and T. b. bruceipaired with low cell cytotoxicity. This drug discovery laboratory activity made a measurable contribution to neglected tropical disease research and was an engaging and research-orientated experience for undergraduate students. Implementation of drug discovery laboratories across a range of student levels and backgrounds is highly achievable using existing laboratory equipment and a short investment in activity preparation and can be a sustainable course component.

AbstractThis study attempts to recycle bauxite residue (red mud) as an alternative to conventional stone dust filler in asphalt concrete mix. For this, relevant physical, chemical and morphological properties of both fillers were determined. Subsequently, asphalt concrete mixes incorporating both fillers were prepared using Marshall mix design procedures, and their performances against primary aspects (strength, rutting resistance, cracking resistance, moisture susceptibility, ravelling resistance, long-term ageing, active and passive adhesion) were investigated. Although red mud mixes had higher optimum asphalt content than conventional mixes, they also delivered higher Marshall stability, rutting resistance and cracking resistance. This was majorly attributed to fineness and porosity of red mud which facilitates uniform distribution of filler and higher absorption of asphalt binder. Red mud was highly alkaline and hydrophobic in nature and had the presence of adhesion promoters like calcite in its composition. Hence, red mud mixes displayed satisfactory resistance against moisture permeation and had good active-passive adhesions. Although red mud mixes had marginally lower resistance against ravelling and long-term ageing than the conventional mix, red mud could effectively be utilised as a filler in asphalt concrete mixes.

Editor's note. The following is a terrific layperson-friendly explanation why having an induced abortion increases a woman's chances of having breast cancer. In this post, I will go over the [...]

Finally, there is it on the screen: a full two-hour documentary on the long-term harm abortion does to women. The documentary reports; you decide. No, it's not the Fox News [...]

No free man needs a God, but was I free? How fully I felt nature glued to me And how my childish palate loved the taste Half-fish, half-honey, of that [...]

In this study, a novel application of artificial neural network (ANN) was utilized to develop the predictive equations for the modified Proctor compaction parameters of fine-grained soil. A total of 532 in situ soil samples were collected from a highway construction work site and numerous geotechnical parameters were obtained from the laboratory testing. Besides the index properties test, modified Proctor compaction tests were conducted on the collected soil samples through BIS specifications. ANN algorithm code, written in Python V3.7.9 platform, was adopted for the analysis. Several performance measurement parameters such as MAE, RMSE, R, and R2were used to examine the performance of each of the models. The developed ANN equations present the correlation coefficient of 0.88 and 0.93 for MDD and OMC, respectively. Additionally, the selected model can predict the MDD and OMC of fine-grained soil within ±4% and ±12% variations, respectively. The results achieved for the validation dataset reveals that the proposed model is well efficient in predicting the unseen dataset. Eventually, it has also been perceived from the comparative analysis results of the present study model and previously existing models that the present study ANN model is more superior to those literature’s models.

If there is a way to reduce the incidence of breast cancer, shouldn't American women be told about it? Mr. Brind is a professor of biology and endocrinology at Baruch [...]

Over the last couple of years, a tsunami of Asian studies--largely from China and South Asia--have sadly confirmed that the Abortion-breast cancer link (ABC link) is real and spreading to [...]

Where to begin to expose the over-the-top dishonesty of abortion advocate Dr. David Grimes' piece on abortion and breast cancer posted on Feb. 26 in the Huffington Post Blog ('Abortion [...]

To investigate the sociological, environmental, and economic impact of hormonally active contraceptives, a series of comprehensive literature surveys were employed. Sociological effects are discussed including abortion, exploitation of women, a weakening of marriage, and an increase in divorce with deleterious effects on children such as child poverty, poorer health, lower educational achievement, suicide risks, drug and alcohol abuse, criminality, and incarceration, among others. The environmental impact is discussed briefly and includes the feminization and trans-gendering of male fish downstream from the effluent of city wastewater treatment plants with declining fish populations. The potential economic impact of most of these side effects is estimated based on epidemiologic data and published estimates of costs of caring for the diseases which are linked to the use of hormonally active contraceptives. Hormonally active contraceptives appear to have a deleterious impact on multiple aspects of women’s health as well as negative economic and environmental impacts. These risks can be avoided through the use of nonhormonal methods and need to be more clearly conveyed to the public.Summary: Hormonal contraceptives have wide-ranging effects.  The potential economic impact of the medical side effects is estimated. Sociological effects are discussed including abortion, exploitation of women, a weakening of marriage and an increase in divorce with negative effects on children such as child poverty, poorer health, lower educational achievement, suicide risks, drug and alcohol abuse, criminality and incarceration among others. The environmental impact includes hormonal effects on fish with declining fish populations. Women seeking birth control have a right to know about how to avoid these risks by using effective hormone-free methods like Fertility Awareness Methods.

This study investigated the engineering, economic, and environmental feasibility of asphalt mixes containing brick dust (BD), recycled concrete aggregate dust (CD), limestone slurry dust (LD), rice straw ash (RSA), glass powder (GP), carbide lime (CL), and copper tailing (CT). The performance of asphalt mixes containing various wastes was evaluated against rutting, cracking and moisture sensitivity, and their comparison was made with the conventional mix containing stone dust (SD) filler. Subsequently, the asphalt pavements utilizing the aforesaid mixes as surface course were designed and their material cost and global warming potential (GWP) were analysed. In general, the waste fillers form superior performing mixes at relatively lower cost than conventional SD fillers. The LD and RSA emerged as the best and worst performing filler, respectively. The construction of single km of asphalt pavement made with LD-incorporated mixes found to have 11% lower cost, 11% lower GWP, and 75 ton less aggregates.

Hormonal contraceptives have been on the market for over fifty years and, while their formulations have changed, the basic mechanism of action has remained the same. During this time, numerous studies have been performed documenting side effects, some of which appear over time, some within weeks or months, but all can have a serious impact on health and quality of life. An effort was made to perform a series of comprehensive literature surveys to better understand immediate and long-term side effects of these agents. The results of this literature review uncovered a number of potential side effects, some of which are acknowledged and many of which are not noted in the prescribing information for these agents. Among the unacknowledged side effects are: an increased risk of HIV transmission for depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), and for combination contraceptives breast cancer, cervical cancer, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, depression, mood disorders and suicides (especially among women twenty-five years of age and younger, in the first six months of use), multiple sclerosis, interstitial cystitis, female sexual dysfunction, osteoporotic bone fractures (especially for progesterone-only contraceptives), and fatty weight gain. Misleading prescribing information regarding cardiovascular and thrombotic risks are also noted. Women seeking birth control have a right to be informed and educated about risk avoidance through the use of effective nonhormonal methods like fertility awareness methods. In one case—that of DMPA—the increased risk of HIV acquisition has been conclusively demonstrated to be both real and unique to this drug. Considering the availability of numerous alternatives, there is no justification for the continued marketing of DMPA to the public.Summary: We reviewed the effect of hormonal contraceptives on women’s health. A number of potential side effects were noted including increased risks of breast cancer, cervical cancer, inflammatory bowel  disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, cystitis, bone fractures, depression, mood disorders and suicides,  fatty weight gain, and female sexual dysfunction.  With the long-acting injectable contraceptives there is an increased risk of getting HIV.  Misleading prescribing information regarding the risks of heart attacks, strokes and blood clotting problems were also noted. Women seeking birth control have a right to know about how to avoid these risks by using effective hormone-free Fertility Awareness Methods.

Mark Robison is the 'fact checker' for the Reno Gazette Journal. In a piece that appeared recently, he purports to answer the truthfulness of the claim 'Abortion is linked with [...]

Hot on the heels of the new systematic review and meta-analysis of the abortion-breast cancer (ABC link) in China published by Dr. Yubei Huang last November and reviewed in NRL [...]

The three-component reaction between a resorcinol, 1,3-dimethoxybenzene, and an alkyl aldehyde (R = C1–C11) along with BF3·OEt2affords a C2v-symmetric resorcin[4]arene tetraether in one step; in most cases, the single isomer can be precipitated from the reaction mixture in moderate to excellent yields (up to 89%). The reaction is tolerant of 2-substituted resorcinols (R′ = OH, Cl, Br, Me), allowing a third type of functionality to be regioselectively incorporated during the macrocyclization.

The Finger Lakes are all connected to one another and to the Great Lakes by canals, wetlands, and natural waterways. SENECA FALLS, N.Y. THE FINGER LAKES REGION WAS SETTLED JUST AFTER the Revolutionary War by a person with long dark hair, eyes of startling intensity, and the voice of a man. [Extracted from the article]

With any given disease, the medical research community establishes what are risk factors and what are protective factors through the science known as epidemiology. During the past year, it was [...]

NRL News readers are familiar with accounts of how political bias distorts mainstream reports of anything to do with abortion. Thus, a baby is described as anything but a baby, [...]

Increase in demand of copper and copper allied products have led to unavoidable generation of billions of tons of copper tailings throughout the globe. This study investigated the possibility of utilizing copper tailings (CT) of Indian origin in place of conventional stone dust as filler in asphalt concrete mixes. Detailed physical, morphological and mineralogical characterization of both fillers was done through specific gravity, plasticity index, methylene blue value (MBV), particle size distribution, German filler values, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), hydrophilic coefficient and pH value tests. Thereafter, asphalt concrete mixes containing both fillers were designed using Marshall mix design procedure and their optimum asphalt contents were determined. At their respective OAC’s, both mixes were compared on the basis of their stabilities, volumetric properties as well as their performance against various distresses (rutting, cracking, ravelling and moisture susceptibility) using relevant testing procedures. Copper tailing mixes delivered satisfactory Marshall and volumetric properties at relatively lower OAC than conventional mixes, which was attributed to the relatively lower porosity of copper tailings. Also, copper tailings mixes were found to have superior rutting and cracking resistances due to their lower VMA and fineness of copper tailings respectively. However, copper tailing mixes displayed relatively inferior (yet satisfactory) performance than conventional mixes in terms of moisture sensitivity, ravelling resistance, active and passive adhesion. This was due predominance of silica as well as absence of calcium based water insoluble minerals like dolomite in the composition of copper tailings.

When it comes to the link between induced abortion and breast cancer (the 'ABC link'), it can be argued that the mass media have not deserved - - at least [...]

We all know that abortion was marketed to American society through appeals based on the hard cases. The hardest of these is when the life of the mother is at [...]

For almost five years, NRL News has kept you abreast of research investigating the link between induced abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer. Pro-lifers should be greatly encouraged [...]

In an important First Amendment decision, the SouthEast Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) has been ordered to permit the reposting of an ad that asserts a link between induced abortion and [...]

People often ask me about the frustrations we run up against in trying to make the average person aware that there really is a link between abortion and breast cancer [...]

After more than two years of judicial wrangling, a public service ad warning that women who abort increase their likelihood of contracting breast cancer is still not appearing in Philadelphia's [...]

Although you wouldn't know it by media accounts, the published epidemiological evidence overwhelmingly supports an abortion-breast cancer link (ABC link). For instance, 10 of 11 American studies and 24 of [...]

Fluorination is commonly employed to optimize bioactivity and pharmaco-kinetic properties of drug candidates. Aliphatic fluorination often reduces the lipophilicity (log P), but polyfluoroalkylation typically increases lipophilicity. Hence, identification of polyfluorinated motifs that nonetheless lead to similar or even reduced lipophilicities is of interest to expand the arsenal of medicinal chemistry tools in tackling properties such as compound metabolic stability or off-target selectivity. We show that changing a CF3-group of a perfluoroalkyl chain to a methyl group leads to a drastic reduction in lipophilicity. We also show that changing a C–F bond of a trifluoromethyl group, including when incorporated as part of a perfluoroalkyl group, to a C–Me group, leads to a reduction in log P, despite the resulting chain elongation. The observed lipophilicity trends were identified in fluorinated alkanol models and reproduced when incorporated in analogues of a drug candidate, and the metabolic stability of these motifs was demonstrated.

Treatment guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to primary biliary cholangitis: all patients begin treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) monotherapy and those with an inadequate biochemical response after 12 months are subsequently considered for second-line therapies. However, as a result, patients at the highest risk can wait the longest for effective treatment. We determined whether UDCA response can be accurately predicted using pretreatment clinical parameters.

Harvard researchers have reported the widely disseminated conclusion: "Among this predominantly premenopausal population, neither induced nor spontaneous abortion was associated with the incidence of breast cancer." This conclusion was based […]

The possibility that insects can harness solar energy (SN: 1/15/11, p. 8) is no less fascinating than the ability of the mammalian liver to do the light-independent part of photosynthesis: [...]

Leaders of the Fairtrade movement are hoping that the International Development Secretary, Douglas Alexander, won't come empty-handed when he turns up at the launch of Fighting the Banana Wars and [...]

10 J. AM. PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS 105 (Winter 2005). Although many case-control studies, based primarily on retrospective collection of data, have shown a statistically significant increase in breast cancer after […]