Scale-up and Characterization of an Enrichment Culture for Bioaugmentation of the P-Area Chlorinated Ethene Plume at the Savannah River Site

Bioaugmentation has become an increasingly popular remediation strategy for groundwater sites contaminated with chlorinated solvents. When biostimulation is not an option due to the lack of necessary microorganisms required for dechlorination of the contaminants, bioaugmentation is an attractive option for remediation. The P-Area groundwater plumes at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are just such a case. The P-Area site is contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and cis-dichloroethene (cDCE), and no dechlorination past cDCE is occurring. A similar site, the C-Area site, is near one of the P-Area site\u27s source zones but displays complete reduction of TCE to ethene. An enrichment culture was developed from the C-Area wetland for possible use as an indigenous bioaugmentation culture for the P-Area site. The culture underwent characterization in terms of potential terminal electron acceptors, pathogenicity, susceptibility to 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), potential use of emulsified vegetable oil as an electron donor, and response to oxygen exposure and a range of pH levels. The ability of the SRS culture, which was enriched on PCE and TCE, to use other halogenated alkenes and alkanes as terminal electron acceptors was investigated. The SRS culture is capable of utilizing PCE, TCE, cDCE, trans-dichloroethene, 1,1-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride (VC), 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,2-dibromoethane, and vinyl bromide as electron acceptors. Additionally, the culture\u27s ability to dechlorinate several chlorinated benzenes was investigated. The SRS culture can dechlorinate hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene, and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene; however, further testing is required to determine if these electron acceptors are used metabolically as with the halogenated alkenes and alkanes. The culture cannot dechlorinate the dichlorobenzene isomers or chlorobenzene. The SRS culture was tested for potential pathogenicity, which would hinder its regulatory approval as a bioaugmentation culture. Initially, the culture\u27s ability to grow on a rich substrate (trypticase soy broth) at the temperature of the human body was tested. The culture grew aerobically at 37¼C, and further analysis using commercial coliform and E. coli testing kits revealed that the SRS culture does contain coliforms. However, E. coli is not present in the culture. Further molecular testing is being conducted at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to determine if other pathogenic species might be present in the culture. As 1,1,1-TCA has been shown to be inhibitory to many dechlorinating cultures, the SRS culture\u27s susceptibility to this known inhibitor was evaluated. The culture\u27s ability to completely dechlorinate TCE to ethene was inhibited by 300 µM 1,1,1-TCA; a mixture of VC and ethene were produced as end products. Lower concentrations of 1,1,1-TCA (0.7 and 3.6 µM) did not inhibit TCE conversion to ethene. Additionally, the SRS culture was not capable of dechlorinating 1,1,1-TCA. The SRS culture was enriched on lactate as an electron donor, however, the use of emulsified oil substrate (EOS¨) as an electron donor was investigated as it is a longer lasting electron donor. A microcosm evaluation suggested that EOS¨ is a better electron donor than lactate. Reductive dechlorination of PCE and TCE occurred faster and with less accumulation of daughter products in treatments amended with EOS¨ than in those amended with lactate. The SRS culture was tested for its vulnerability to oxygen exposure, as it is an anaerobic culture, and exposure to oxygen could be detrimental to the success of the culture in the field. Quiescent exposure to air (21% oxygen in headspace) for 24 hours slowed the dechlorination of PCE and TCE. However, the culture was able to overcome the aerobic conditions and completely dechlorinate PCE and TCE to ethene. The low redox conditions provided by the media in which the culture is maintained allowed for anaerobic conditions in the bottles to be reestablished. Given low redox conditions in contaminated groundwater, the SRS culture should be able to sustain brief oxygen exposure and retain its reductive dechlorinating ability. Related to oxygen exposure, the SRS culture\u27s susceptibility to extreme pH levels was investigated. The SRS culture is maintained in buffered minimal media within the pH range of 6.5-7.5. The culture was exposed to a range of pH levels (5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, and 8.5) as well as a treatment in which pH was allowed to decrease from neutral, as a result of HCl release. At pH 6.0, the dechlorinating activity of the SRS culture was slowed, and cDCE and VC accumulation was higher than at pH 7.0. At pH 5.5, reductive dechlorination stopped at cDCE, with no production of VC or ethene. When the pH was allowed to decrease from neutral, the culture exhibited a decrease in ethene production and accumulation of VC as the pH dropped below 6.0. The culture was most strongly inhibited at pH 8.5; some PCE was dechlorinated, but no TCE was consumed. Little to no cDCE or VC was produced. Given these results, it will be necessary for groundwater pH to be adequately buffered at a pH of 6.5 or higher for successful bioaugmentation with the SRS culture

Incorporating Company and Learner Goals in Workplace Training Programmes

There has been an increased awareness and focus on workplace training in recent years. The rapid growth in digital technology and the globalisation of business and trade is often cited as the reason for this increase because they are seen to impact on business production, policies and communication. As in much educational research, there are questions about how positive workplace learning outcomes can be encouraged. Although attention is generally given to skills improvement, goals are important in workplace training for a number of reasons. They assist the learning process, give direction to a course or programme, help us measure success and give information about stakeholders’ expectations. However, in workplaces, there can be disparate goals. Companies often aim to align workplace training with business objectives. Employees, as learners, may have individual goals, and as part of the context, tutors and government funders may have additional goals. While the four stakeholders in this research are: the government, the company, training staff and learners, the focus is on the companies’ and learners’ goals. It explores learners’ goals for workplace training and how they relate to company goals. In order to investigate this research question, I engaged with five workplace training programmes, used interviews, observations and documentation with a qualitative approach to gather data. I interviewed company managers at the beginning and end of the data collection, and I interviewed tutors and learners at different points in their training programme, I observed a training session when possible and collected relevant training and company documents. Three factors seemed to contribute to positive learner response to workplace training programmes. These three factors were the tutors’ teaching approach, NZQA qualifications offered in the training, and employees increased sense of belonging in the company and being valued in the company. These three factors also contributed to aligning learners goals to the company goals. This study suggests workplace training programmes can be beneficial to both the company and learner/employees and may be useful, therefore, for people involved in implementing training in the workplace

An Analysis of Japan’s Immigration Policy on Migrant Workers and Their Families

This thesis attempts to provide an analysis of Japan’s immigration policy on migrant workers and their families. I am interested in exploring the interactions between the Japanese government and foreigners during 1960-2014. I have three research questions: (1) What is the Japanese government policy for migrant workers? (2) What is the education status for the children of migrant workers to assimilate into Japanese society? (3) How are migrant workers and families treated by the Japanese government in terms of the human rights and their national rights? I have selected four books as the primary sources for my thesis, and analyzed quotes from the different authors to seek answers to my questions. I have learned that Japan is avidly attempting to diversify its country, and to break away from the homogenous stereotype but it is a slow process. During Japan’s economic rise in the 1980s as well as the first series of the lost decade in the 1990s, Japan’s interests shifted to welcoming more foreign migrants and immigrants. However, many Japanese officials and citizens still show slight hostilities when such a radical change has the potential to impede on their “Japanese-ness” (Japanese Identity). There is a growth of migrant workers and immigrants from 2003-2014 in terms of accepting anyone with a working proficiency in Japanese, based on The Immigration Refugee Acts in 1995-2004. In 2014, The United Nations worked with the Japanese government on ending inequality in Japan for immigrants and migrant workers

Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Independent Phospholipase A2 gamma (ER-iPLA2γ): Role in Oxidative Stress-Induced Lipid Peroxidation, Ca2+ Release, Phospholipid Homeostasis and Cell Death in the Kidney

Acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease are becoming more prevalent and have high morbidity and mortality, and despite several therapies targeted towards treating or preventing kidney injury, outcomes have been unchanged for many years. Calcium­independent phospholipase A2y (iPLA2γ) is one of seven Ca2+-independent PLA2 enzymes and represents a potential therapeutic target in kidney disease because of its unique subcellular localization and its potential as the putative membrane remodeling/repair enzyme. Studies in our laboratory suggest iPLA2γ is cytoprotective during oxidant injury by preventing and/or repairing oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation and pointed to ER-iPLA2γ as the major component of membrane repair and remodeling. The goals of these studies are to understand the role of ER-iPLA2γ in oxidant-induced ER lipid peroxidation, Ca2+ release, loss of lipid homeostasis, and renal cell death. Our studies in isolated microsomes (ER) provide evidence that inhibition of ER­iPLA2γ results in the potentiation of oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation. Studies in renal proximal tubule cells confirmed that iPLA2γ is protective of oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation and genetic ablation of iPLA2γ in mice resulted in oxidant injury (lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial DNA damage). To determine the role of ER-iPLA2γ in oxidant-induced Ca2+ release we developed assays to measure ER Ca2+ release from isolated microsomes and in RPTC using Ca2+-sensitive fluorophores. These studies showed ER- iPLA2γ prevented oxidant-induced ER Ca2+ release. To determine the role of iPLA2γ in oxidant-induced loss of lipid homeostasis, we employed electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) to measure lipid changes (phospholipids and fatty acids) in isolated microsomes, RPTC, and iPLA2γKO mouse urine. These studies provide evidence that ER-iPLA2γ mediates oxidant-induced fatty acid release (oxidized and/or unsaturated) in isolated microsomes; iPLA2γ inhibition results in the build-up several phospholipids within renal cell membranes; and genetic ablation of iPLA2γ in mice results 1n decreased phosphatidylcholine containing phospholipids and increased fatty acids with methyl or keto additions (likely lipid hydroperoxides) in mouse urine. Our studies in RPTC demonstrated ER-iPLA2γ protects renal cell from oxidant-induced necrotic cell death by preventing ER membrane disruption and subsequent Ca2+ release. We report the first in vivo studies suggesting that genetic ablation of iPLA2γ results in kidney oxidant injury, induces compensatory mitochondrial changes and upregulation of antioxidant stress pathways, however does not result measurable loss of kidney function. Together these data support our previous findings that iPLA2γ is cytoprotective in renal cells and provide evidence that iPLA2γ is critical for the prevention and/or repair of lipid peroxidation in oxidative kidney injury

An Analysis of Japan’s Immigration Policy on Migrant Workers and Their Families

This thesis attempts to provide an analysis of Japan’s immigration policy on migrant workers and their families. I am interested in exploring the interactions between the Japanese government and foreigners during 1960-2014. I have three research questions: (1) What is the Japanese government policy for migrant workers? (2) What is the education status for the children of migrant workers to assimilate into Japanese society? (3) How are migrant workers and families treated by the Japanese government in terms of the human rights and their national rights? I have selected four books as the primary sources for my thesis, and analyzed quotes from the different authors to seek answers to my questions. I have learned that Japan is avidly attempting to diversify its country, and to break away from the homogenous stereotype but it is a slow process. During Japan’s economic rise in the 1980s as well as the first series of the lost decade in the 1990s, Japan’s interests shifted to welcoming more foreign migrants and immigrants. However, many Japanese officials and citizens still show slight hostilities when such a radical change has the potential to impede on their “Japanese-ness” (Japanese Identity). There is a growth of migrant workers and immigrants from 2003-2014 in terms of accepting anyone with a working proficiency in Japanese, based on The Immigration Refugee Acts in 1995-2004. In 2014, The United Nations worked with the Japanese government on ending inequality in Japan for immigrants and migrant workers

Johnson & Johnson\u27s Recall Debacle

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has been viewed as a role model by many organizations for its successful handling of a 1982 crisis involving cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules that resulted in seven deaths. The public relations community applauded J&J for a swift response and for promptly implementing actions to prevent a similar crisis from occurring in the future. However more recently, J&J has become a poster child for poor crisis communications amidst a flood of recalls that started in November 2009. The present study used concepts from Coombs’ (2004) Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and media framing research to develop a coding scheme for a content analysis of newspaper coverage surrounding the 1982 Tylenol recall as well as current recalls issued by J&J from November 2009 through April 2012. The samples included newspaper articles from New York Times and Chicago Tribune. Results showed that most of the stories in both samples did not evaluate J&J’s operational response or reputation overall. However, when the news coverage did evaluate J&J, coverage from the 1982 sample was positive and evenly balanced between favorable and unfavorable, compared to negative and unfavorable in the current sample. Additionally, when crisis type was mentioned in the coverage, the 1982 crisis was more likely described as a victim crisis while the current crises were more likely described as an accident or preventable crisis. When the 1982 sample was examined for mentions of previous recalls there were none compared to 80.5% of the current sample mentioning a previous recall. The results support the tenets of SCCT, information giving strategies and reputation management strategies. Additionally, the results provide valuable iii information for crisis managers regarding the media’s inclusion or, lack thereof, organizations’ controlled media such as news releases

A special reunion

Thirty years after their first meeting in the South Carolina low country, Randy Eaddy, Susan Thomson Shi (left) and Donna Graham Rone reunite -- this time in the upstate

Multi-Language Edit-and-Continue for the Masses

We present an Edit-and-Continue implementation that allows regular source files to be treated like interactively updatable, compiled scripts, coupling the speed of compiled native machine code, with the ability to make changes without restarting. Our implementa-tion is based on the Microsoft .NET Framework and allows applications written in any .NET language to be dynamically updatable. Our solution works with the standard version of the Microsoft Common Language Runtime, and does not require a custom compiler or runtime. Because no application changes are needed, it is transparent to the application developer. The runtime overhead of our implementation is low enough to support updating real-time applications (e.g., interactive 3D graphics applications)

Multi-Language Edit-and-Continue for the Masses

We present an Edit-and-Continue implementation that allows regular source files to be treated like interactively updatable, compiled scripts, coupling the speed of compiled native machine code, with the ability to make changes without restarting. Our implementa-tion is based on the Microsoft .NET Framework and allows applications written in any .NET language to be dynamically updatable. Our solution works with the standard version of the Microsoft Common Language Runtime, and does not require a custom compiler or runtime. Because no application changes are needed, it is transparent to the application developer. The runtime overhead of our implementation is low enough to support updating real-time applications (e.g., interactive 3D graphics applications)