No description available.

Five different combinations of Hydraulic Retention Times (HRT) and temperatures were used in a two stage (feed and test reactor) Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion System to assess the impact of these parameters on the production of odorous gases. The gases monitored were hydrogen sulphide, dimethyl sulphide, methyl mercaptan, ammonia, and amines. Other liquid parameters were also monitored in order to better understand the impacts of temperature and HRT. These parameters are total solids content, volatile solids content, volatile solids destruction, specific oxygen uptake rate, alkalinity, ammonia concentration, and pH. In order to assess the character of the sludge and understand the digestion process the carbohydrate, fat, and protein content were also measured in the inputs and in the test reactor. It was found that all of the odorous compounds measured were affected by stage of digestion and temperature more than by HRT. Of the five compounds monitored, none were affected by changes in the HRT of the test reactor. However, the concentrations measured in the feed and test reactors were often a degree of magnitude apart. The reduced sulphur compounds (hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulphide) were found in higher concentrations in the feed reactor than in the test reactor; whereas ammonia and amines were found in much higher concentrations in the test reactor than in the feed reactor. Also, ammonia concentrations were significantly higher in both reactors when the temperature was higher; and amine concentration was higher in the test reactor when the temperature was higher. One set of tests for volatile fatty acid concentration was also undertaken. While breakdown of the carbohydrates and fats occurred throughout the process, proteins were broken down into their amino acids, releasing reduced sulphur compounds in the feed reactor and then deaminated, releasing ammonia and amines in the test reactor.

Five different combinations of Hydraulic Retention Times (HRT) and temperatures were used in a two stage (feed and test reactor) Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion System to assess the impact of these parameters on the production of odorous gases. The gases monitored were hydrogen sulphide, dimethyl sulphide, methyl mercaptan, ammonia, and amines. Other liquid parameters were also monitored in order to better understand the impacts of temperature and HRT. These parameters are total solids content, volatile solids content, volatile solids destruction, specific oxygen uptake rate, alkalinity, ammonia concentration, and pH. In order to assess the character of the sludge and understand the digestion process the carbohydrate, fat, and protein content were also measured in the inputs and in the test reactor. It was found that all of the odorous compounds measured were affected by stage of digestion and temperature more than by HRT. Of the five compounds monitored, none were affected by changes in the HRT of the test reactor. However, the concentrations measured in the feed and test reactors were often a degree of magnitude apart. The reduced sulphur compounds (hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulphide) were found in higher concentrations in the feed reactor than in the test reactor; whereas ammonia and amines were found in much higher concentrations in the test reactor than in the feed reactor. Also, ammonia concentrations were significantly higher in both reactors when the temperature was higher; and amine concentration was higher in the test reactor when the temperature was higher. One set of tests for volatile fatty acid concentration was also undertaken. While breakdown of the carbohydrates and fats occurred throughout the process, proteins were broken down into their amino acids, releasing reduced sulphur compounds in the feed reactor and then deaminated, releasing ammonia and amines in the test reactor.

Five different combinations of Hydraulic Retention Times (HRT) and temperatures were used in a two stage (feed and test reactor) Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion System to assess the impact of these parameters on the production of odorous gases. The gases monitored were hydrogen sulphide, dimethyl sulphide, methyl mercaptan, ammonia, and amines. Other liquid parameters were also monitored in order to better understand the impacts of temperature and HRT. These parameters are total solids content, volatile solids content, volatile solids destruction, specific oxygen uptake rate, alkalinity, ammonia concentration, and pH. In order to assess the character of the sludge and understand the digestion process the carbohydrate, fat, and protein content were also measured in the inputs and in the test reactor. It was found that all of the odorous compounds measured were affected by stage of digestion and temperature more than by HRT. Of the five compounds monitored, none were affected by changes in the HRT of the test reactor. However, the concentrations measured in the feed and test reactors were often a degree of magnitude apart. The reduced sulphur compounds (hydrogen sulphide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulphide) were found in higher concentrations in the feed reactor than in the test reactor; whereas ammonia and amines were found in much higher concentrations in the test reactor than in the feed reactor. Also, ammonia concentrations were significantly higher in both reactors when the temperature was higher; and amine concentration was higher in the test reactor when the temperature was higher. One set of tests for volatile fatty acid concentration was also undertaken. While breakdown of the carbohydrates and fats occurred throughout the process, proteins were broken down into their amino acids, releasing reduced sulphur compounds in the feed reactor and then deaminated, releasing ammonia and amines in the test reactor. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Despite its crucial role in fertility, relatively little has been published on the human endometrial stroma. The first experiment reported in this thesis was designed to provide quantitative baseline data on the human stroma during the mid to late luteal phase, when it plays a major part in normal pregnancy. Subsequent chapters investigate the effects of an antioestrogen (clomiphene citrate-CC); growth hormone (GH) supplementation of patients on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to lack of endogenous ovarian steroids; and patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriage. Finally a novel 3-dimensional in vitro model of human stroma is described along with the effects of steroid supplementation on stromal cells grown in the model. In all cases of in vivo studies, conventional stereological methods were used to obtain quantitative morphological data from at least 6 subjects per group, from both control (fertile) and experimental (infertile) subjects using light and electron microscopy. In addition, several staining techniques were also used to demonstrate qualitative changes that occur in human endometrial stroma. During the mid to late luteal phase, endometrial stroma and blood vessels underwent substantial changes, and thus quantitative and qualitative baseline data have been established to fill a gap in this important area of reproductive biology. CC caused no substantial changes in stromal structure in women of proven fertility and therefore its advantageous effects on ovulation are not negated at the level of the endometrium. GH supplementation had no effects on infertile human endometrial stroma from subjects on HRT, (in either premature ovarian failure or Turner's syndrome groups). However, both infertile groups had endometrial stroma which significantly differed from matched fertile endometrium, suggesting an impaired endometrial development in infertile subjects which was not reversed by HRT, either with or without Gil treatment. Stromal morphology did not differ between the recurrent miscarriage groups, however data suggested the existence of several subgroups which made firm conclusions difficult. The tissue culture model provided preliminary data suggesting it to be a potentially very useful technique for the study of stromal cell biology.

No description available.

No description available.

Lower production rate of solids in attached growth moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) systems as compared to conventional activated sludge (AS) systems makes them an attractive choice for municipal wastewater treatment (Ødergaard et al. 1994). However, the production of biologically-produced solids in MBBR systems is currently not well defined and requires additional investigation. Three identical MBBR reactors were operated under the same dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, influent pH and volume of Anoxkalnes media in two different experimental phases. In the first phase, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) kept constant in three reactors and SALR increased and in the second phase, the SALR was the constant parameter while HRT increased. These two phases were implemented to investigate the effect of variations in HRT and SALR on biologically-produced solids in MBBR reactors. This study demonstrated that HRT and SALR play an important role in settling characteristics of the biologically-produced solids in MBBR systems.

Lower production rate of solids in attached growth moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) systems as compared to conventional activated sludge (AS) systems makes them an attractive choice for municipal wastewater treatment (Ødergaard et al. 1994). However, the production of biologically-produced solids in MBBR systems is currently not well defined and requires additional investigation. Three identical MBBR reactors were operated under the same dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, influent pH and volume of Anoxkalnes media in two different experimental phases. In the first phase, the hydraulic retention time (HRT) kept constant in three reactors and SALR increased and in the second phase, the SALR was the constant parameter while HRT increased. These two phases were implemented to investigate the effect of variations in HRT and SALR on biologically-produced solids in MBBR reactors. This study demonstrated that HRT and SALR play an important role in settling characteristics of the biologically-produced solids in MBBR systems.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been subject to much debate due to concerns that long term use of such treatment of menopause increases the risk of breast and uterine cancer. This is thought to be caused by estradiol (1) binding to the estrogen receptor α (ERα) resulting in increased cell proliferation. Another possible mechanism relates to toxicity of the estrodiol metabolites, which are thought to be genotoxic ortho-quinones. In a previous project, a series of A-CD estrogens (2) were synthesised as non-carcinogenic estradiol agonists where the cis CD ring junction was thought to be the cause of the desirable selectivity for ERβ. In this thesis, homo A-CDs were synthesised (3) with expansion of the D ring thought to increase the selecitivty for ERβ. Relative Binding Affinities (RBA) were determined with selectivity to ERα and ERβ. Most ligands showed decreased selectivity when compared to the original A-CD series. However, compounds carrying the CF3 moiety continued to show very high potency. In addition, novel synthetic routes were employed in the preparation of certain compounds.