Aims:The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of freshwater green microalgae in remediating swine manure wastewater. Two different species of freshwater green microalgae (Scenedesmus quadricaudaand Stigeocloniumsp.) were used in this study.Methodology and results:Laboratory experiments were performed to compare the growth rate and nutrients (total phosphorus, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen) uptake by these two species of microalgae in swine manure wastewater. Experimental work was carried out for 14 days at room temperature of 30±1 °C with about 1520 Lux of light intensity. The results showed that both microalgae grew well in swine manure wastewater. S.quadricaudaperformed better in remediating swine manure wastewater, by reducing 83.99% of COD, 80.39% of BOD5, 84.78% of total phosphorus (TP), 91.79% of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), 89.79% of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) and 87.14% of nitrite nitrogen (NO2-N) compared to Stigeocloniumsp. which was only able to remove 79.26% of COD, 76.27% of BOD5,75.17% of TP, 86.42% of NH3-N, 84.38% of NO3-N and 82.38 NO2-N.Conclusion, significance and impact of study:The results of this study indicate that these two species of microalgae have potential to be used in the remediation of swine manure wastewate

Objectives: To develop a simple prediction model for the pre-screening of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) among preterm babies. Methods: This was a prospective study. The test dataset (January 2007 until December 2010) was used to construct risk prediction models, and the validation dataset (January 2011 until March 2012) was used to validate the models developed from the test dataset. Two prediction models were produced using the test dataset based on logistic regression equations in which the development of ROP was used as the outcome. Results: The sensitivity and specificity for model 1 [gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)] was 82 % and 81.7%, respectively; for model 2, (GA and BW) the sensitivity and specificity were 80.5% and 80.3%, respectively. Conclusion: Model 2 was preferable, as it only required two predictors (GA and BW). Our models can be used for the early prevention of ROP to avoid poor outcomes.

Aims:The effectiveness of microalgae in the post-treatment of palm oil mill effluent (POME) was being investigated for colourremoval and COD reduction. Methodology and results:Raw POME, obtained from a local palm oil mill and treated with anaerobic and aerobic processes for 50 days and 16 days of hydraulic retention time (HRT) respectively, was then used in the phycoremediation study. Three different species of microalgae (Ankistrodesmus falcatus, Scenedesmus sp. and Chlorellasp.) were inoculated in a culture media which contained 20%, 40% and 60% dilution of POME. The pH of thetreated POME sample was not adjusted and fixed at the original pH of about pH 8-9. The growth of the microalgae was determined every 2 days based on their chlorophyll concentration. Chlorellasp. showed the best adaptation and grew well in all dilutions of the treated POME sample and subsequently chosen for remediation of the POME sample without any dilution.Conclusion, significance and impact of study:Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour removal of POME were determined every 2 days. Chlorellasp. performed well with COD reduction and colour removal of 67.87% and 53.26%, respectively.