Phytotoxicity, Bioaccumulation, and Degradation of Nonylphenol in Different Microalgal Species without Bacterial Influences

Nonylphenol (NP) is a contaminant that has negative impacts on aquatic organisms. To investigate its phytotoxicity, bioaccumulation, and degradation in algae without associated bacteria, six freshwater microalgae—Ankistrodesmus acicularis, Chlorella vulgaris, Chroococcus minutus, Scenedesmus obliquus, Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Selenastrum bibraianum—in bacteria-free cultures were studied. When exposed to 0.5–3.0 mg L−1 NP for 4 days, cell growth and photosynthesis, including maximal photochemistry (Fv/Fm), were suppressed progressively. The antioxidant responses of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) showed species differences. While the antioxidant enzymes in C. vulgaris and S. obliquus were more active with the increase of NP (0–3 mg L−1), they dropped in the other four algae at concentrations of 1 and 1.5 mg L−1. Therefore, C. vulgaris and S. obliquus were designated as NP-tolerant species and showed more conspicuous and faster changes of antioxidant reactions compared with the four NP-sensitive species. All six species degraded NP, but A. acicularis was more reactive at low NP concentrations (<1 mg L−1), suggesting its possible application in sewage treatment for its potential for effective NP removal from water bodies in a suitable scope. Therefore, the conclusion is that biodegradation of NP by algae is species specific.

Early Childhood Education and Its Correlation with Crime: A Review

This article reviews the new evidence offered by Jorge Luis García, James J. Heckman and Anna L. Ziff's paper entitled "Early Childhood Education and Crime." The paper showcased the impact of crime reduction from high-quality intensive early childhood programs. Its distinct advantage from other similar research attempts is it's long-term follow-up. The data collected were evaluated by randomized controlled trials, and this present article is interested in reviewing the results using a descriptive qualitative method. It is found, proportionally, more women than men reduce their criminal activities after participating in this program. Gender influences the experiences, giving a difference because the home environment of disadvantaged families that are mainly benefited by this program is typically worse for girls. This program of educating children with the particular purpose of shaping their morality and understanding of good and bad gives a suitable scope for better improvement by the program. For both sexes, the effect of treatment is greater for disadvantaged children, as measured by the education given by their mothers.

What Suffering Is

This chapter examines and explains the nature of suffering. Brady surveys the different kinds of physical and mental suffering, and then introduces a ‘componential’ account of suffering, in line with traditional ways of thinking about emotions. He then proposes that suffering involves two core elements. The first is an experience of negative affect or unpleasantness, which is common to all forms of suffering, whether physical or emotional. The second is an occurrent desire that this unpleasantness cease. Suffering is, in a slogan, unpleasantness that we mind. He shows how this account has a suitable scope. Appealing to occurrent desires allows for animals and young children to suffer, and allows us to accommodate the fact that cognition often plays an important role in determining how much we suffer.

Balancing Corporate Governance with Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Governance can be defined as a set of rules and regulations which are required for effective governance of any corporate organization. The effective and transparent corporate governance is becoming increasingly important now. As per the provisions of Companies Act, 2013, corporate are required to spend a stipulated amount of their profits on social activities as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In order to adapt to the prevailing business practices, a path driven by the ethical norms and sound accountability needs to be taken in the form of good Corporate Governance and CSR. It can be said that today, both Corporate Governance and CSR focus on ethical practices in business and the responsiveness of an organization to its stakeholders and the environment in which it operates. This paper is an attempt to strike a balance between good corporate governance and CSR thereby having a tradeoff between social welfare and profit maximization. Further, the research does not take into account the CSR practices of private organizations and is limited to the public organizations only. This adds to the gap in research and hence a suitable scope for further research.

Simplified De Bore Model of Coal Adsorption Gas

With respect to the problems existed in the description of the adsorption characteristics of super-low rank and super-high rank coals using the conventional Langmuir adsorption model, in this paper, We first introduces the De Bore adsorption model into the coal seam gas adsorption, and utilizes the results of the ab initio calculation of quantum chemistry result and the isothermal adsorption test statistical results, simplifies the De Bore model equation. The new adsorption model is more suitable for describing the gas adsorption characteristics of the whole coal ranks. This new model has the stronger function and wider suitable scope than the Langmuir adsorption model.

Brief Analysis of the Sludge Bio-Drying Process

Bio-drying reduces the moisture content of sludge without other external energy consumption, this paper introduced the microbiological aspect of a bio-drying process ,and state briefly about the suitable scope of oxygen supply ,C/N ratio, pH of biomass and moisture content for a optimal heat generation.

Experimental Research of a Flywheel Hybrid Vehicle

A flow-coupled flywheel hybrid vehicle was proposed which has simpler configuration, fewer components and easier control method. And it was confirmed that this system had enough capability to recover vehicle kinetic energy that might otherwise be lost as heat during braking. Then, more attentions were paid to initial speed of recovery flywheel and displacement ratio of variable displacement pump/motor that influenced recovery efficiency of the proposed hybrid vehicle. It is also significant to point out that in order to improve recovery efficiency, the displacement size of variable displacement pump/motor is required so as to make it operates as maximum displacement, and the initial speed of the recovery flywheel is limited at a suitable scope (about 1000rpm~3000rpm) with regard to the windage and axial loss and the amount of energy storage. Hence, it is indicated that this type of hybrid vehicle can be as an optional configuration to widely use in hybrid vehicle.

MENTOR-MANAGED DESIGN CHALLENGES FOR FIRST YEAR ENGINEERING

The authors identify the main challenges facing engineering students and instructors during hands-on design projects and give an overview of the mentor-managed approach they take in a first year design course. Key features of the course include mentor management, choosing a design challenge of a suitable scope, providing an appropriate systematic design methodology, and structuring the design project around staged deliverables. They describe, in more detail, two distinctive components of the course: usability testing with modified design walkthroughs, and an introduction to creative practice and design through a Scrapheap Challenge.

Influence of SO3 Content on Drying Shrinkage Cracking Resistance of Cement-Fly Ash Stabilized Crushed-Stones

The cement-fly ash stabilized crushed-stones are prepared with different cements, which SO3 contents are 1.8%,2.6%,3.4%,4.2%,5.0%,5.8% and 8.8%，and their 28d splitting strengths, 28d resilient modulus’s, expansion -shrinkage and dry shrink anti cracking coefficients are studied. On these bases, the influence of SO3 content of cement on shrinkage cracking resistance is analyzed. The mechanism of compensating shrinkage by micro expansion in pavement base and the function of SO3 on cement-fly ash binder are also explored in paper. It is proved that the increase of SO3 content in a suitable scope (1.8%-5.8%) can improve the drying shrinkage cracking resistance of cement-fly ash stabilized crushed-stones when the content of fly ash is 10%。But the structure and the performance of materials will be destroyed if the SO3 content of cement increases excessively (>8.8%).