Purpose – Ballast water of merchant ship is a source of introduction of invasive species around the globe. The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative risk assessment applied to a model port, the Port of Arzew in Algeria, and based on an analysis of this port’s shipping traffic. Design/methodology/approach – The risk assessment for introduction of invasive species is interpreted in the form of a probabilistic process, with a combination of two probabilities. The first probability is related to the ability of a species to arrive to the destination (recipient port), depending on the quantity of water ballast discharged and the duration of voyage. The second one is based on the species ability to survive in their new environment, which depends on the environmental similarity between donor port and Arzew port. Findings – This assessment’s outcome consists on a classification of scenarios regarding their acceptability. Consequently, it helped to classify donor ports according to a risk scale, from low risk to high-risk donor ports. Research limitations/implications – The phenomenon of invasion of aquatic species is a complex process. Factors such as adaptation and tolerance of species, the attendance or absence of predators, were not taken into account in this study. Practical implications – This study could be used by the maritime administration as a decision-making tool regarding the issue of exemptions under the IMO International Convention on the Management of Ballast Water and Sediments 2004. Originality/value – This is one of the first known studies in Algeria and dealing with ballast water management. The results of this assessment provide useful information to policy makers, in order to develop a national strategy to reduce the impact of shipping pollution on the marine environment.

In this paper, new sensors based on a double-gate (DG) graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistor (GNRFET), for high-performance DNA and gas detection, are proposed through a simulation-based study. The proposed sensors are simulated by solving the Schrödinger equation using the mode space non-equilibrium Green’s function formalism coupled self-consistently with a 2D Poisson equation under the ballistic limits. The dielectric and work function modulation techniques are used for the electrical detection of DNA and gas molecules, respectively. The behaviors of both the sensors have been investigated, and the impacts of variation in geometrical and electrical parameters on the sensitivity of sensors have also been studied. In comparison to other FET-based sensors, the proposed sensors provide not only higher sensitivity but also better electrical and scaling performances. The obtained results make the proposed DG-GNRFET-based sensors as promising candidates for ultra-sensitive, small-size, low-power and reliable CMOS-based DNA, and gas sensors.

An improved dynamic hysteresis model is proposed for the prediction of hysteresis loop of electrical steel up to mean frequencies, taking into account the skin effect. In previous works, the analytical solution of the diffusion equation for low frequency (DELF) was coupled with the inverse static Jiles-Atherton (JA) model in order to represent the hysteresis behavior for a lamination. In the present paper, this approach is improved to ensure the reproducibility of measured hysteresis loops at mean frequency. The results of simulation are compared with the experimental ones. The selected results for frequencies 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz and 400 Hz are presented and discussed.

Clinical heterogeneity is often due to genetic heterogeneity. One mechanism by which different mutations can produce a phenotypic variation). Beta-thalassemia is mainly caused by a large number of mutations of the gene for beta-globin. The objective of this study is to correlate molecular lesions and clinical signs in children with beta-thalassemia homozygous. We carried out the molecular genetics of beta globin gene by the method of mini sequencing using Snapshot ™ kit (Applied Biosystems) in search of the mutation codon 39 (C>T) (HBB: c.118C>T) and we studied haematological parameters by statistical method using the test “t” of Student for comparing the means of the samples. The peripheral blood smear examination was done from the slides stained in Wright stains. The results obtained have shown that beta-thalassemia homozygous children with severe anemia over 30 ± 0.9 g/L of total Hb with microcytosis of 60,80 ± 2.014 fl, hypochromia 18.47 ± 0.6023 pg and the number of red blood cells is 3.220 ± 0.2778 (10¹²/L). In addition, a significantly secondary thrombocytosis and leukocytosis were reported in patients. Thus the electrophoresis of hemoglobin exhibits a high Hb F (55 to 82%). The peripheral smear examination revealed many red cell abnormalities in the blood. In this study, we used the mini sequencing assay as a rapid screening procedure to identify the severe codon 39 (C>T) mutation in the HBB gene. Phenotype of beta thalassemia major is characterized with various hematological parameters.