The influence of photoperiod and light intensity on the growth and photosynthesis of Dunaliella salina (chlorophyta) CCAP 19/30

The green microalga Dunaliella salina survives in a wide range of salinities via mechanisms involving glycerol synthesis and degradation and is exploited for large amounts of nutraceutical carotenoids produced under stressed conditions. In this study, D. salina CCAP 19/30 was cultured in varying photoperiods and light intensities to study the relationship of light with different growth measurement parameters, with cellular contents of glycerol, starch and carotenoids, and with photosynthesis and respiration. Results show CCAP 19/30 regulated cell volume when growing under light/dark cycles: cell volume increased in the light and decreased in the dark, and these changes corresponded to changes in cellular glycerol content. The decrease in cell volume in the dark was independent of cell division and biological clock and was regulated by the photoperiod of the light/dark cycle. When the light intensity was increased to above 1000 μmol photons m−2 s−1, cells displayed evidence of photodamage. However, these cells also maintained the maximum level of photosynthesis efficiency and respiration possible, and the growth rate increased as light intensity increased. Significantly, the intracellular glycerol content also increased, >2-fold compared to the content in light intensity of 500 μmol photons m−2 s−1, but there was no commensurate increase in the pool size of carotenoids. These data suggest that in CCAP 19/30 glycerol stabilized the photosynthetic apparatus for maximum performance in high light intensities, a role normally attributed to carotenoids

Australian educational technologies trends 2018

Educational Technologies represent the wide range of digital tools used by teachers for teaching, students for learning, and administrators for managing schools. New tools are continually in development and often repurposed for an educational context from other industries. The following technologies have been considered as the five most significant for schools over the next 5 years, along with cost and professional learning requirements

Heartwatch: the effect of a primary care-delivered secondary prevention programme for cardiovascular disease on medication use and risk factor profiles.

BACKGROUND: Heartwatch is a secondary prevention programme of coronary heart disease (CHD) in primary care in Ireland. The aim was to further examine the effect of the Heartwatch programme on cardiovascular risk factors and treatments of patients with a follow-up of 3.5 years. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of 12,358 patients with established CHD (myocardial infarction, percutaneous cardiac intervention, coronary artery bypass graft) recruited by participating general practitioners; patients invited to attend on a quarterly basis, with continuing care implemented according to defined clinical protocols. METHODS: Changes in risk factors and treatments at 1, 2, 3 and 3.5-year follow-up from baseline were made using paired t-test for continuous and McNemar's test for categorical data. RESULTS: Important changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking status were observed at 1, 2, 3 and 3.5 years (P < 0.0001) with significant increase in proportions of patients within the target. However, changes in body mass index were small, with no significant improvement in waist circumference. There was a significant increase in prescription of secondary preventive medications and good patient compliance. Males were more likely to be within the target for systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, waist circumference and exercise level at 3.5 years, but less likely for body mass index. CONCLUSION: Studies of cardiac rehabilitation without any follow-up programmes show that over time patients revert in part to previous lifestyle habits; this primary care-delivered programme has shown sustained improvements in major risk factors, particularly smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol, and treatments for CHD. Weight management presents a greater challenge