Scale-up of algae growth system to cleanse wastewater and produce oils for biodiesel production

Biofuels are a currently a very hot topic with significant interest in both ethanol and biodiesel production. These fuels can be used in current internal combustion engines with little or no modification. Biodiesel can be produced from a variety of sources. One of the most promising sources is microalgae. In some species of algae, oil or lipids can account for as much as 70% of their total biomass. Unfortunately, the cost to produce biodiesel from algae is much too high to compete with petroleum-based fuels. To reduce the production cost of algae, wastewater has been discovered to be an excellent growth media. For this study, Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., and Chlamydomonas sp. were selected to test their ability to grow on wastewater growth media while cleansing the water of contaminants and producing oil. Lab tests in 10L tanks showed that all three species grow well and provide excellent treatment of municipal wastewater by reduction of ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate at levels of 99%, 87%, and 99%, respectively. After successful lab tests, a 230L (60 gal.) pilot tank was constructed to demonstrate scalability of the growth system. Scenedesmus was selected for growth tests at the pilot scale. Six growth tests of one week each were conducted at two light levels and three temperatures to investigate the effects these parameters have on the growth rate and nutrient uptake. In the pilot scale tests, Scenedesmus was shown to cleanse the water as efficiently as at the lab scale achieving nutrient reductions of over 99% for ammonia and phosphate. Biomass production was also shown to be very high at the pilot scale with accumulations of biomass greater than the predicted yield for five of the six tests

Interpretative phenomenological analysis: exploring the formative experiences of community college students enrolled in remedial courses

Includes bibliographical references.2015 Fall.Remedial Education has been a polarizing topic in education for many years, as there is often debate about who is responsible for the large number of students that require remedial services as well as the best manner in which to support these students. Despite the continuing interest in the topic, few studies have focused specifically on the students and their experiences in these programs. In order to gain a better understanding of these experiences, a qualitative phenomenological study, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, was conducted in order to answer the following research question and three sub-questions: What are the lived experiences of students enrolled in remedial education at community college? 1) How do students who are enrolled in remedial education at the community college describe their educational journey? 2) How were students prepared for post-secondary education prior to enrollment in remedial education? 3) How do students see themselves as succeeding in post-secondary education? Four participants took part in the study by partaking in semi-structured interviews to explore their lived experiences in remedial education at the community college. An in depth analysis of the data, utilizing IPA, revealed issues of marginalization through labeling, manipulation of the education system, and a desire to belong. The results of the study suggest that remedial education students often deal with issues that are far more complex than skill acquisition alone, and supports literature that highlights the importance of accountability measures for K-12 education, as well as the value of non-cognitive skills, and how labels can affect students. This study offers a unique student perspective into remedial education, presents the opportunity for future research that continues to explore remedial experiences, and supports research that includes student perspectives and validates student experiences

A Virtual Assistant on Campus for Blind and Low Vision Students

I want to make the most of my college experience…pass the courses I need to get into law school, make new friends, and travel. Maybe study abroad. These are the sentiments of one undergraduate student. These goals are not so different from those of hundreds of students attending college, yet, the mere fact she is blind creates a completely different perspective. This exploratory study seeks to learn how undergraduate students who are blind or have low vision (BLV), experience Aira, an augmented reality application, as a visual interpreter, in post-secondary settings. Semi-structured interviews illuminated three major themes: (a) accessibility impacts productivity, (b) incidental learning affects social interactions, and (c) sense of self. Theoretical conclusions are made on how Aira positively contributes to a complete college experience for students who are BLV, as outlined in the Seven Vectors of Identification Development (Chickering & Reisser, 1993)

The in vitro effects of cigarette smoke on models of epithelial injury

Cigarette smoking has been shown to increase air space epithelial permeability, which is thought to be an early indication of air space epithelial injury. A large number of toxic compounds, in particular oxygen radicals, are produced by cigarette smoke, and it may be the imbalance between these and the intra- and extracellular antioxidants present in the lungs which is critical in inducing lung injury.Both superoxide dismutase and catalase have been shown to increase intracellularly in hamsters exposed to cigarette smoke. Reduced glutathione, another important antioxidant, is also present in increased concentrations in erythrocytes and in the lung epithelial lining fluid of cigarette smokers. This may be in response to the increased radical burden in smoking in an attempt to confer protection to the cells in the airway and alveoli of the lung. However the acute effects of smoking have received less attention.In this study the attachment, detachment and proliferation of the A549 human alveolar epithelial cell line was examined in an in vitro model of cell injury and the effects of exposure to cigarette smoke and its condensates on these assays of epithelial function were assessed. In addition a comparison of the effects of cigarette smoke on the bronchial cell line, BEA -2B or freshly isolated rat type II cells, and the protective effects of the antioxidants, were also studied.Whole and vapour phase cigarette smoke decreased 51Cr- labelled A549 epithelial cell attachment in a dose -dependent manner. The condensates prepared from both types of cigarette smoke increased cell detachment, and decreased cell proliferation, as assessed by the uptake of [3H] thymidine by A549 epithelial cells. Both freshly isolated rat type II alveolar epithelial cells and cells of the bronchial epithelial cell line, BEA- 2B, showed enhanced susceptibility to the injurious effects of cigarette smoke condensates when compared with the A549 epithelial cell line. The enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase and catalase, when present extracellularly, gave partial protection against the effects of cigarette smoke or condensate exposure on cell attachment, detachment and proliferation. However extracellular reduced glutathione, in physiological concentrations (400μM), conferred total protection against cigarette smoke or condensate induced cell injury. Depletion of intracellular reduced glutathione also enhanced the epithelial cell detachment produced by cigarette smoke condensates. The oxidant hydrogen peroxide also decreased A549 epithelial cell attachment and increased cell detachment, which was prevented by the addition of reduced glutathione.To examine possible mechanisms of cigarette smoke induced changes in epithelial cell attachment and detachment the role of the cell surface adhesion molecules, and the cell cytoskeleton and changes in intracellular signalling were studied. Both the A549 and the BEA -2B cell lines stained positive for integrins for the extracellular matrix. Cigarette smoke exposure of these cells did not effect integrin expression, but this does not rule out changes in integrin function. Surface adhesion molecule function is cationic dependent and chelation of the cations was found to cause epithelial detachment.Activation of protein kinase C or increasing intracellular calcium also increased epithelial detachment, whereas inhibition of these effects reduced the level of epithelial cell injury produced by cigarette smoke condensate. This suggests that both protein kinase C and intracellular calcium play a role in cigarette smoke condensate induced epithelial cell iv injury. The cytoskeleton is also involved in epithelial cell detachment since disruption of the microfilaments of the epithelial cell cytoskeleton with cytochalasin also lead to increased detachment.These studies indicate that exposure of epithelial cells to cigarette smoke or its condensates in vitro causes cell injury. The mechanism of this effect appears to be oxidant mediated and may be initiated through a variety of intracellular signalling pathways