Soft topographic map for clustering and classification of bacteria

In this work a new method for clustering and building a topographic representation of a bacteria taxonomy is presented. The method is based on the analysis of stable parts of the genome, the so-called “housekeeping genes”. The proposed method generates topographic maps of the bacteria taxonomy, where relations among different type strains can be visually inspected and verified. Two well known DNA alignement algorithms are applied to the genomic sequences. Topographic maps are optimized to represent the similarity among the sequences according to their evolutionary distances. The experimental analysis is carried out on 147 type strains of the Gammaprotebacteria class by means of the 16S rRNA housekeeping gene. Complete sequences of the gene have been retrieved from the NCBI public database. In the experimental tests the maps show clusters of homologous type strains and present some singular cases potentially due to incorrect classification or erroneous annotations in the database

Impacts of Individual On-Site Sewage Disposal Facilities on Mountain Valleys--Phase II--Water-Quality Considerations

A rapid increase in residential development utilizing primarily on-site sewage disposal systems is occurring in the Big Wood River valley in Idaho. This project evaluated the hydrologic characteristics of the Big Wood River and aquifer systems, addressing ground-water characteristics, ground-water/surface-water relationships, and water quality related to on-site sewage disposal systems. Ground water is unconfined and often occurs close to land surface in unconsolidated valley-fill deposits, which range from less than 40 feet to more than 180 feet in thickness. Ground-water underflow at Hailey was calculated to be approximately 40,000 acre-feet per year. A ground-water quality network of approximately 50 wells was established from which samples were collected in July-August, 1983. Approximately 20 wells were then selected from which samples were collected about every 6-8 weeks through March, 1984. The mean concentrations of nitrate-n, chloride, and orthophosphate were 0.53, 2.4, and .013 mg/L, respectively. Nitrate-n concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 2.2 mg/L, well below the USEPA recommended limit of 10 mg/L. The mean specific conductance was 371 micromhos/cm at 25� C. Mean concentrations of nitrate-n, chloride, and orthophosphate from surface-water samples were 0.44, 1.8, and .015 mg/L, respectively. Ground-water levels were measured in approximately 60 wells from which a water-table contour map and a ground-water/surface-water profile were constructed for July-August, 1983. The profile indicates hydraulic connection between ground water and surface water in much of the study area. Discharge measurements made in the Big Wood River and tributaries indicate the river gained approximately 156 cfs between Ketchum and Hailey in September, 1983, and gained approximately 84 cfs within the same reach in March, 1984. The river lost approximately 57 cfs between Hailey and Glendale Bridge in September, 1983

Impacts of Individual On-Site Sewage Disposal Facilities on Mountain Valleys--Phase I

The upper and middle Big Wood River Valley has experienced large population this growth growth associated with recreational development. Much of has been and will continue to be in rural areas, making private and small community water systems and individual on-site sewage disposal facilities necessary. There are currently about 85 approved subdivisions in the study area, with a projected build-out of 2,151 units, 713 of which are currently built. The currently subdivided buildable area 1s approximately 5,860 acres of a total buildable area of approximately 21,270 acres. The current building density of non-sewered areas is approximately 6.64 acres per unit for the study area and approximately 1.60 acres per unit for the city of Bellevue. The projected building density of non-sewered areas is approximately 2.21 acres per unit for the study area and approximately 0.75 acres per unit for the city of Bellevue. It is assumed that individual and group on-site sewage disposal facilities currently contribute about 24,900 pounds per year of nitrate (N03-N) and about 4,500 pounds per year of soluble phosphate (p) into the ground water. The Hailey Woodside treatment-disposal facility currently contributes about 4,100 pounds per year of N03-N and about 740 pounds per year of P to the ground water. Nutrient loads under max1mum projected development are expected to be about 95,000 pounds per year of N03-N and about 17,000 pounds per year of P

Power law corrections to hadronic structure functions

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Lending Division - LD:D52523/84 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Aquifer characterization at the General Motors Harrison Division Plant, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The General Motors corporation is studying the feasibility of aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) for cooling purposes at its Harrison Division plant Tuscaloosa, Alabama. To determine the characteristics of the aquifer underlying the plant, the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) gathered information about the environment of the aquifer and conducted tests to determine the aquifer's transmissivity and flow. From these tests, calculated estimates of ground-water velocity and flow direction were made. Nine wells were drilled at the plant site. Apparently, a confining bed of clay locally divides the aquifer into two separate units, one confined and one unconfined. An initial attempt to determine the hydraulic gradient in the aquifer was complicated by the resulting discrepancies in water levels among wells as well as by offsite pumping of the same aquifer; however, an estimate of the direction and magnitude of the hydraulic gradient for the composite aquifer was made. Two other types of tests successfully provided data for ground-water flow velocity for ATES design. A constant-discharge and recovery test was conducted to determine transmissivity (hydraulic conductivity). A single-well tracer test was also conducted, and results of the two tests were used conjunctively to estimate ground-water flow velocity. Transmissivity was found to be approximately 2000 ft{sup 2}/day at two wells closet to the pumped well in the parking lot of the General Motors plant. The average hydraulic conductivity is assumed to be approximately 40 ft/day in the same vicinity. The calculated ground-water velocity is approximately 3.25 ft/day with an effective porosity of approximately 6%. 5 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs

Innovative technology demonstrations

Currently, several innovative technologies are being demonstrated at Tinker Air Force Base (TAFB) to address specific problems associated with remediating two contaminated test sites at the base. Cone penetrometer testing (CPT) is a form of testing that can rapidly characterize a site. This technology was selected to evaluate its applicability in the tight clay soils and consolidated sandstone sediments found at TAFB. Directionally drilled horizontal wells have been successfully installed at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site to test new methods of in situ remediation of soils and ground water. This emerging technology was selected as a method that may be effective in accessing contamination beneath Building 3001 without disrupting the mission of the building, and in enhancing the extraction of contamination both in ground water and in soil. A soil gas extraction (SGE) demonstration, also known as soil vapor extraction, will evaluate the effectiveness of SGE in remediating fuels and TCE contamination contained in the tight clay soil formations surrounding the abandoned underground fuel storage vault located at the SW Tanks Site. In situ sensors have recently received much acclaim as a technology that can be effective in remediating hazardous waste sites. Sensors can be useful for determining real-time, in situ contaminant concentrations during the remediation process for performance monitoring and in providing feedback for controlling the remediation process. A demonstration of two in situ sensor systems capable of providing real-time data on contamination levels will be conducted and evaluated concurrently with the SGE demonstration activities. Following the SGE demonstration, the SGE system and SW Tanks test site will be modified to demonstrate bioremediation as an effective means of degrading the remaining contaminants in situ