Improving photosynthetic biogas purification via process aeration and nanoparticle supplementation.

This study evaluated the influence of nanoparticles in both suspension and solid format on the performance of a microalgal process devoted to photosynthetic biogas purification. The experimental system consisted of an enclosed tubular photobioreactor coupled to a biogas absorption column through a mixing chamber. The high NH concentration in the inlet mineral medium (530 mg N-NH L) and the punctual addition of 115 mL of nanoparticle suspension to the system caused inhibition of the microalgal-bacterial cultivation.

Assessing nitrous oxide emissions from algal-bacterial photobioreactors devoted to biogas upgrading and digestate treatment.

Nitrous oxide (NO) emissions in High Rate Algal Ponds (HRAP) can negatively affect the sustainability of algal-bacterial processes. NO emissions from a pilot HRAP devoted to biogas upgrading and digestate treatment were herein monitored for 73 days. The influence of the pH (7.

Innovative design and operational strategies to improve CO mass transfer during photosynthetic biogas upgrading.

Several innovative strategies of design and operation, such as biogas recirculation, centrate pH manipulation and liquid nanoparticle addition, were tested to assess their potential to improve CO mass transfer during photosynthetic purification of biogas in a microalgae-bacteria pond connected to a biogas scrubbing column. Biogas recirculation in the column was not effective since the biogas and cultivation broth had reached chemical equilibrium under the operational conditions and configuration without biogas recirculation. Feeding the centrate at pH 10 (with and without ammonium desorption) directly to the absorption column substantially improved CO removal efficiency (from 58 to 91 %) achieving a biomethane complying with European standards.

The use of machine learning to detect foraging behaviour in whale sharks: a new tool in conservation.

In this study we present the first attempt at modelling the feeding behaviour of whale sharks using a machine learning analytical method. A total of eight sharks were monitored with tri-axial accelerometers and their foraging behaviours were visually observed. Our results highlight that the random forest model is a valid and robust approach to predict the feeding behaviour of the whale shark.

Vestibular Test Results of a Patient with Cerebral Microangiopathy and Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia.

Background: Cerebral microangiopathy (CM) is a general term for small ischemic changes related to small blood vessels in the brain. Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a rare acquired autoimmune disease that is characterized by low platelet count and increased risk of hemorrhage. We describe vestibular testing completed on a 64-year-old patient with CM and ITP presenting with complaints of general instability and listing while walking, decreased stability in dark environments, and blurred vision with head movement.