Algae Culture Conditions and Process Parameters for Phycoremediation and Biomaterials Production

Abstract Climate change and increasing world population call for careful utilization of water and energy sources. Microalgae to treat wastewater in a coupled process to produce biofuels and other value-added products for human consumption are promising solutions. An analysis of culture parameters and cultivation processes is presented as essential to achieve economical sustainability from the algae. Results of the activity of microalgal strains in detoxification of wastewater are compared and discussed, particularly in remediation of nitrogen and phosphorous compounds, heavy metal, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Phycoremediation mechanisms and culture conditions to obtain optimal microalgal growth are discussed. Finally, valuable products that can be produced by microalgae and ecological problems of untreated wastewater are presented

Developing Collaborative Leadership: A Study Of Organizational Change Toward Greater Collaboration And Shared Leadership

Implicit in leadership behavior is the ability to work with others, to be in relationship, and to collaborate. Contemporary theories about leadership have shifted from a focus on the individual “leader” toward the collective act of “leadership.” A concrete understanding of collaborative leadership remains somewhat underdeveloped in the literature and theoretically. This dissertation is a case study of organization\u27s efforts to change from autocratic organizational leadership to a more collaborative working environment. Taking the form of a literary portrait, the study analyzes an example of action learning about collaborative leadership. The portrait will be of the agency\u27s change, with special attention given to the issues facing the leadership team as it wrestles to change from top-down to collaborative leadership practice. The primary research question is: In today\u27s shifting landscape, what practices and conditions will optimize the development of a collaborative working environment? Findings were that the development of a collaborative working environment can be optimized through the careful cultivation of the ten themes that emerged from the study: (1) on-going learning and continuous development, (2) flexibility, (3) trust, (4) respect/esteem/ positive regard, (5) willingness/commitment, (6) facilitative process (establishment of norms, ground rules/agreements, inclusivity, process capability/tacit knowledge of functional group process), (7) realistic optimism/positive personality/resilience/solution/strength/future focus, (8) communication skills, (9) social intelligence (ability to transcend the ego and to self-organize and motivate) and (10) an appropriate level of technical competence. The electronic version of this dissertation is available at the OhioLINK ETD Center www.etd.ohiolink.edu

The resilience of indigenous knowledge in small-scale African agriculture: key drivers

The successful use of indigenous knowledge (IK) in development practice in rural Africa over the last couple of decades has proved to be elusive and disappointing. Using empirical field data from northern Malawi, this study suggests that the two key drivers for farmers in this area are household food security and the maintenance of soil fertility. Indigenous ways of knowing underpin the agricultural system which has been developed, rather than the adoption of more modern, ‘scientific’ ways, to deliver against these drivers. Such IKs, however, are deeply embedded in the economic, social and cultural environments in which they operate

Medical Marijuana in Arkansas: The Risks of Rushed Drafting

Arkansas voters passed the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment to the state constitution in late 2016. Almost certainly, the vast majority of voters did so without reading or understanding the intricacies of the initiative, and instead voted simply to affirm their desire to permit the medical use of marijuana in the state. Among many other provisions, the amendment imposed a 120 day time limit (later extended by the Arkansas legislature to 180 days) within which the Arkansas Department of Health and other agencies were to adopt rules implementing the voter mandate. While six months might seem like plenty of time in which to adopt appropriate legislation and regulations, the reality is that careful drafting is painstaking. Rushing through drafting produces writing that is unclear and inconsistent. It can result in requirements with which it is difficult (or impossible) to comply. The medical marijuana provisions contained an unfortunately large number of examples of the problems caused by rushed drafting. This article seeks to educate those who wish to use the constitutional amendment process in the future about the difficulty of clear drafting when particularly complex issues are involved. Ideally, the amendment process would not be used to accomplish this kind of task, but if the public deems it essential to act, more reasonable time-frames should be utilized. In addition, constitutional amendments should not restrict the state legislature’s right to amend and update the amendment unless truly central to the amendment’s purpose. Finally, this article also seeks to provide some guidance for persons with an interest in how the Medical Marijuana Amendment is implemented

Domestication as innovation : the entanglement of techniques, technology and chance in the domestication of cereal crops

The origins of agriculture involved pathways of domestication in which human behaviours and plant genetic adaptations were entangled. These changes resulted in consequences that were unintended at the start of the process. This paper highlights some of the key innovations in human behaviours, such as soil preparation, harvesting and threshing, and how these were coupled with genetic ‘innovations’ within plant populations. We identify a number of ‘traps’ for early cultivators, including the needs for extra labour expenditure on crop-processing and soil fertility maintenance, but also linked gains in terms of potential crop yields. Compilations of quantitative data across a few different crops for the traits of nonshattering and seed size are discussed in terms of the apparently slow process of domestication, and parallels and differences between different regional pathways are identified. We highlight the need to bridge the gap between a Neolithic archaeobotanical focus on domestication and a focus of later periods on crop-processing activities and labour organization. In addition, archaeobotanical data provide a basis for rethinking previous assumptions about how plant genetic data should be related to the origins of agriculture and we contrast two alternative hypotheses: gradual evolution with low selection pressure versus metastable equilibrium that prolonged the persistence of ‘semi-domesticated’ populations. Our revised understanding of the innovations involved in plant domestication highlight the need for new approaches to collecting, modelling and integrating genetic data and archaeobotanical evidence

Improving agricultural productivity for poverty alleviation through integrated service provision with public-private sector partnerships: Examples and issues

Irrigation management / Crop production / Productivity / Constraints / Poverty / Farmers’ associations / Public sector / Private sector / Models / Food security / Sugarcane / Rice