Analysis of search stratagem utilisation

Scientometrics - In interactive information retrieval, researchers consider the user behaviour towards systems and search tasks in order to adapt search results and to improve the search experience...     

Directional rock mass rating (DRMR) for anisotropic rock mass characterization

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - Rock mass classification systems are used to categorize and estimate the role of the most significant parameters influencing rock mass behavior...     

Optimisation of xanthan gum production by palm date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) juice by-products using response surface methodology

The present study was undertaken investigate and optimise the possibility of xanthan gum production by Xanthomonas campestris NRRL B-1459 in batch experiments on date palm juice by-products. Using an experimental Response Surface Methodology complemented with a Central Composite Orthogonal Design, three major independent variables (date juice carbon source, nitrogen source and temperature) were evaluated for their individual and interactive effects on biomass and xanthan gum production. The optimal conditions selected were: 84.68 g/l for carbon source, 2.7 g/l for nitrogen source, and 30.1 °C for temperature. The experimental value obtained for xanthan production under these conditions was about 43.35 g/l, which was close to the 42.96 g/l value predicted by the model. Higher yields of biomass production could be obtained at 46.68 g/l for carbon source, 4.58 g/l for nitrogen source and 30 °C for temperature. The maximum value obtained for biomass production was 3.35 g/l, which was higher than the 2.98 g/l value predicted by the model. The xanthan formed was subjected to HPLC and TLC analyses and its molecular weight as well as pyruvate content were identified. The findings indicated that this polysaccharide contained glucose, glucoronic acid and mannose. Overall, the date palm juice by-products presented in the current study seem to exhibit promising properties that can open new pathways for the production of efficient and cost-effective xanthan gum.     

A robust invariant bipolar representation for R 3 surfaces: applied to the face description

In this paper, we intend to introduce a novel invariant curved surface representation under the 3D motion group. It is constructed from the superposition of the two geodesic potentials generated from a given couple of surface points. By sampling this continuous representation, invariant points are extracted from a large neighborhood around these reference points. Different numerical methods are implemented in order to find an efficient approximation in the mean of the shape distance. The inference of small distortions of points positions applied to the reference points is analyzed. We apply the proposed representation to real 3D images. The experimentations are performed on the 3D facial database Bosphorus.     

Genetic programming approach for estimating the deformation modulus of rock mass using sensitivity analysis by neural network

We use genetic programming (GP) to determine the deformation modulus of rock masses. A database of 150 data sets, including modulus of elasticity of intact rock (Ei), uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), rock mass quality designation (RQD), the number of joint per meter (J/m), porosity, and dry density for possible input parameters, and the modulus deformation of the rock mass determined by a plate loading test for output, was established. The values of geological strength index (GSI) system were also determined for all sites and considered as another input parameter. Sensitivity analyses are considered to find out the important parameters for predicting of the deformation modulus of rock mass. Two approaches of sensitivity analyses, based on “statistical analysis of RSE values” and “sensitivity analysis about the mean”, are performed. Evolution of the sensitivity analyses results establish the fact that variable of UCS, GSI, and RQD play more prominent roles for predicting modulus of the rock mass, and so those are considered as the predictors to design the GP model. Finally, two equations were achieved by GP. The statistical measures of root mean square error (RMSE) and variance account for (VAF) have been used to compare GP models with the well-known existing empirical equations proposed for predicting the deformation modulus. These performance criteria proved that the GP models give higher predictions over existing empirical models.     

Resistivity surveys near a waste-disposal site in the Qasr Tuba area of central Jordan

Direct current (DC) Schlumberger resistivity sounding and dipole-dipole resistivity profiling experiments were conducted at the border of an 2.2 long×1 km wide open waste disposal site in central Jordan. The site is on an approximately 20 m thick limestone, chert and chalk rock sequence and is surrounded by a series of hills. Lying upstream of an urban area, agricultural land and numerous groundwater wells, any contamination spreading from the waste disposal site could have a serious effect on the people and the environment. In this study, the subsurface resistivity distribution was mapped and compared with the data obtained from boreholes and aerial photographs. DC resistivity methods were found to be a fast and inexpensive data collection tool. The results obtained will be of use for engineering preparations and the operation of the site, as well as for monitoring any future pollution.      

A lateral time-of-flight system for charge transport studies

A measurement system for lateral ToF charge carrier transport studies in intrinsic diamond is described. In the lateral ToF geometry, carriers travel close to the sample surface and the system is therefore particularly suited for studies of thin layers as well as the influence of different surface conditions on transport dynamics. A 213 nm pulsed UV laser is used to create electron–hole pairs along a line focus between two parallel metal electrodes on one surface. The use of reflective UV-optics with short focal length allows for a narrow focal line and also for imaging the sample in UV or visible light without any dispersion. A clear hole transit was observed in one homoepitaxial single crystalline diamond film for which the substrate was treated by a Ar/Cl plasma etch prior to deposition. The hole transit signal was sufficiently clear to measure the near-surface hole drift mobility of about 860 cm²/Vs across a contact spacing of 0.3 mm.