Investigating the association between strategic and pathological gambling behaviors and substance use in youth: Could religious faith play a differential role?

Objectives: This study investigated the link between gambling behaviors and the use of alcohol, drugs, and nonprescribed prescription medications, while exploring the moderating role of distinct religious faiths. Methods:: In 2010, 570 students from the American University of Beirut completed a self-reported, anonymous English questionnaire, which included lifetime gambling and past-year substance use measures. Results: Half (55%) were lifetime gamblers, of whom, 12% were probable pathological gamblers. About 60% were strategic gamblers. Lifetime gamblers were more than twice as likely as nongamblers to report past-year illegal drug use and alcohol abuse. Probable pathological gamblers were also more than four times as likely as nongamblers to report nonmedical prescription drug use, illegal drug use, and alcohol abuse. Compared to nonstrategic gamblers, strategic gamblers had more than three times the odds of illegal drug and cigarette use. The link between alcohol abuse and gambling was stronger among Christians than Muslims. Conversely, Muslims were more likely to report the co-occurrence of various gambling behaviors (lifetime, probable pathological, and strategic gambling) with both illegal drug use and cigarette use. Conclusions: Gambling and substance use behaviors were strongly linked in this sample of youth from Lebanon, corroborating the evidence from North America. Particularly novel are the co-occurrence of pathological gambling and nonmedical prescription drug use and the potential differential role of religion

Investigation of lipid production by nitrogen-starved Parachlorella kessleri under continuous illumination and day/night cycles for biodiesel application

International audienceThis study aims to investigate the triacylglycerol (TAG) productivity of Parachlorella kessleri grown under continuous illumination and to investigate its metabolism in simulated day/night cycles in order to estimate the feasibility of a large-scale production in outdoor solar photobioreactors. The strain was chosen for its ability to accumulate large amounts of triacylglycerol during nitrogen starvation. Several protocols of nitrogen starvation were tested in continuous illumination as well as in simulated day/night cycles. Sudden and progressive nitrogen starvation conditions have enhanced the TAG concentration and productivity of P. kessleri reaching up to 48 dry wt% and 4.4 × 10 −3 kg m −2 day −1 , respectively. Microalgal cell metabolism was significantly affected by the day/night illumination cycles. The energy-rich compounds (TAGs and carbohydrates) were accumulated by P. kessleri during the photope-riods and partly consumed during the dark to sustain the microalgae vitality. This TAG oxidation ultimately led to a 26% decrease in TAG productivity in cultures exposed to day/night cycles compared to ones exposed to continuous illumination of equal 24-h average photon flux density. The results can dictate the optimal time for harvesting cells for recovering the largest amount of TAGs

Screening of freshwater and seawater microalgae strains in fully controlled photobioreactors for biodiesel production

International audienceh i g h l i g h t s A screening procedure was developed to select an optimal strain for biodiesel production. TAG productivity and cell fragility, affecting TAG recovery in wet environment, were considered. 14 seawater and freshwater microalgae strains were screened. Large variation between the strains on numerous screening criteria was found. N. gaditana and P. kessleri were found to be the most promising strains for biodiesel production. a b s t r a c t Strain selection is one of the primary hurdles facing cost-effective microalgal biodiesel production. Indeed, the strain used affects both upstream and downstream biodiesel production processes. This study presents a screening procedure that considers the most significant criteria in microalgal biodiesel production including TAG production and wet extraction and recovery of TAGs. Fourteen freshwater and seawater strains were investigated. Large variation was observed between the strains in all the screening criteria. The overall screening procedure ultimately led to the identification of Parachlorella kessleri UTEX2229 and Nannochloropsis gaditana CCMP527 as the best freshwater and seawater strains, respectively. They featured the largest areal TAG productivity equal to 2.7 Â 10 À3 and 2.3 Â 10 À3 kg m À2 d À1 , respectively. These two strains also displayed encouraging cell fragility in a high pressure bead milling process with 69% and 98% cell disruption at 1750 bar making them remarkable strains for TAG extraction in wet environment

Screening of freshwater and seawater microalgae strains in fully controlled photobioreactors for biodiesel production

International audienc

Development and validation of a screening procedure of microalgae for biodiesel production: Application to the genus of marine microalgae Nannochloropsis

International audienc