Hydrothermal complex of the Souk Ahras Basin: geological and hydrogeochemical approaches (north east of Algeria)

North- East of Algeria, in The Souk Ahras region, the Triassic evaporates are in the form of important intrusive masses. Thermal and cold water emerge from various training. These sources present are taking their pathways along the faulting system. A complex multilayered reservoir has significant potential water. The karstic aquifer consists mainly on fresh water. Thermal water characterized by high salinity is carbo-gaseous. Collection and chemical analysis of major water elements in addition to nonionic mineral compounds (SiO2) and trace elements (Sr2+, F-, Br-) have determined a deep saline fluid circulation. The tectonic effect would be responsible for the current water flow. Cartography of fracturing system has identified a NNW-SSE hot spring distribution. Similar alignment can match the faulting system direction affecting the concerned study area.Keywords: Triassic evaporate; thermal waters; tectonic; deep fluid circulatio

Multiple Gamma-Ray Detection Capability of a CeBr 3

The newly developed cerium tribromide (CeBr3) detector has reduced intrinsic gamma-ray activity with gamma energy restricted to 1400–2200 keV energy range. This narrower region of background gamma rays allows the CeBr3 detector to detect more than one gamma ray to analyze the gamma-ray spectrum. Use of multiple gamma-ray intensities in elemental analysis instead of a single one improves the accuracy of the estimated results. Multigamma-ray detection capability of a cylindrical 75 mm × 75 mm (diameter × height) CeBr3 detector has been tested by analyzing the chlorine concentration in water samples using eight chlorine prompt gamma rays over 517 to 8578 keV energies utilizing a D-D portable neutron generator-based PGNAA setup and measuring the corresponding minimum detection limit (MDC) of chlorine. The measured MDC of chlorine for gamma rays with 517–8578 keV energies varies from 0.07 ± 0.02 wt% to 0.80 ± 0.24. The best value of MDC was measured to be 0.07 ± 0.02 wt% for 788 keV gamma rays. The experimental results are in good agreement with Monte Carlo calculations. The study has shown excellent detection capabilities of the CeBr3 detector for eight prompt gamma rays over 517–8578 keV energy range without significant background interference

Optimizing setup of scan number in FTIR spectroscopy using the moment distance index and PLS regression: application to soil spectroscopy

Vibrational spectroscopy such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), has been used successfully for soil diagnosis owing to its low cost, minimal sample preparation, non-destructive nature, and reliable results. This study aimed at optimizing one of the essential settings during the acquisition of FTIR spectra (viz. Scans number) using the standardized moment distance index (SMDI) as a metric that could trap the fine points of the curve and extract optimal spectral fingerprints of the sample. Furthermore, it can be used successfully to assess the spectra resemblance. The study revealed that beyond 50 scans the similarity of the acquisitions has been remarkably improved. Subsequently, the effect of the number of scans on the predictive ability of partial least squares regression models for the estimation of five selected soil properties (i.e., soil pH in water, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity and Olsen phosphorus) was assessed, and the results showed a general tendency in improving the correlation coefficient (R2) as the number of scans increased from 10 to 80. In contrast, the cross-validation error RMSECV decreased with increasing scan number, reflecting an improvement of the predictive quality of the calibration models with an increasing number of scans

Measurement of light output of NE213 and NE102A detectors for2.7-14.5 MeV neutrons

The light output of 125-mm-diameter NE213 and NE102A detectors has been measured for neutron energies ranging from 2.7 to 14.5 MeV. For neutron energies below 6.14 MeV, measurements were carried out using the neutron time-of-flight spectrum from an Am-Be neutron source, while for proton energies above 6.14 MeV, measurements were carried out using neutrons produced from the T(d,n) reaction. For the NE102A detector the measured light output is in good agreement with the data of R.A. Cecil et al., (1979) but for the NE213 detector the light output is 2-15% lower than that for a similar detector. The NE213 detector light output agrees with the data of V. Verbinski et al. (1968

Measurement of light output of NE213 and NE102A detectors for2.7-14.5 MeV neutrons

The light output of 125-mm-diameter NE213 and NE102A detectors has been measured for neutron energies ranging from 2.7 to 14.5 MeV. For neutron energies below 6.14 MeV, measurements were carried out using the neutron time-of-flight spectrum from an Am-Be neutron source, while for proton energies above 6.14 MeV, measurements were carried out using neutrons produced from the T(d,n) reaction. For the NE102A detector the measured light output is in good agreement with the data of R.A. Cecil et al., (1979) but for the NE213 detector the light output is 2-15% lower than that for a similar detector. The NE213 detector light output agrees with the data of V. Verbinski et al. (1968

Early operating experience with the Brookhaven National Laboratory radio frequency quadrupole accelerator

The Brookhaven National Laboratory polarized H/sup -/ injection program for the AGS utilizes a Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) for acceleration between the polarized H/sup -/ source and the Alvarez Linac. The RFQ accelerator is now in operation with low beam currents. The results of low and high power rf testing will be reported together with initial results of operation in the polarized H/sup -/ beam line

Constraint Programming for Multi-criteria Conceptual Clustering

International audienceA conceptual clustering is a set of formal concepts (i.e., closed itemsets) that defines a partition of a set of transactions. Finding a conceptual clustering is an N P-complete problem for which Constraint Programming (CP) and Integer Linear Programming (ILP) approaches have been recently proposed. We introduce new CP models to solve this problem: a pure CP model that uses set constraints, and an hybrid model that uses a data mining tool to extract formal concepts in a preprocessing step and then uses CP to select a subset of formal concepts that defines a partition. We compare our new models with recent CP and ILP approaches on classical machine learning instances. We also introduce a new set of instances coming from a real application case, which aims at extracting setting concepts from an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. We consider two classic criteria to optimize, i.e., the frequency and the size. We show that these criteria lead to extreme solutions with either very few small formal concepts or many large formal concepts, and that compromise clusterings may be obtained by computing the Pareto front of non dominated clusterings

Analyzing power measurements in high‐P2∥ p‐p elastic scattering

The analyzing power in 28 GeV/c proton/proton elastic scattering was measured at P2∥=5.95 and 6.56 (GeV/c)2 using a polarized proton target and an unpolarized proton beam at the Brookhaven National Laboratory AGS. Results indicate that the analyzing power, A, is rising sharply with P2∥.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87401/2/1123_1.pd

RF Induced Depolarizing Resonanaces, Spin Flip, and Partial Siberian Snakes

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

Genetic variability of the P120' surface protein gene of Mycoplasma hominis isolates recovered from Tunisian patients with uro-genital and infertility disorders

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among the surface antigens of <it>Mycoplasma hominis</it>, the P120' protein was previously shown to elicit a subtle antibody response and appears to be relatively conserved. To get better insight into the evolution of this protein, we analysed the genetic variability of its surface exposed region in 27 <it>M. hominis </it>isolates recovered from the genital tract of Tunisian patients with infertility disorders.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All specimens were processed for culture and PCR amplification of the N-terminal surface exposed region of p120' gene. PCR products were sequenced to evaluate the genetic variability, to test for adaptive selection, and to infer the phylogenetic relationship of the <it>M. hominis </it>isolates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sequence analysis showed a total of 25 single nucleotide polymorphisms distributed through 23 polymorphic sites, yielding 13 haplotypes. All but one mutation were confined within three distinct regions. Analysis of the amino acid-based phylogenetic tree showed a predominant group of 17 closely related isolates while the remaining appear to have significantly diverged.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>By analysing a larger sample of <it>M. hominis </it>recovered from patients with urogenital infections, we show here that the P120' protein undergoes substantial level of genetic variability at its surface exposed region.</p