diff --git a/common/djangoapps/student/models.py b/common/djangoapps/student/models.py
index e1c4ff1123..b4a78d64d2 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/student/models.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/student/models.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ unenroll_done = django.dispatch.Signal(providing_args=["course_enrollment"])
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 AUDIT_LOG = logging.getLogger("audit")
 
+
 class UserStanding(models.Model):
     """
     This table contains a student's account's status.
diff --git a/common/lib/symmath/symmath/formula.py b/common/lib/symmath/symmath/formula.py
index d5b97a2550..b7c4dca2b4 100644
--- a/common/lib/symmath/symmath/formula.py
+++ b/common/lib/symmath/symmath/formula.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import string       # pylint: disable=W0402
 import re
 import logging
 import operator
+import requests
 import sympy
 from sympy.printing.latex import LatexPrinter
 from sympy.printing.str import StrPrinter
@@ -25,11 +26,9 @@ from sympy.physics.quantum.state import *
 # import sympy.physics.quantum.qubit
 
 from xml.sax.saxutils import unescape
-import sympy
 import unicodedata
 from lxml import etree
 #import subprocess
-import requests
 from copy import deepcopy
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py
index a537e5c29a..abe07077cc 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/courseware/tests/test_module_render.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ from .factories import UserFactory
 
 @override_settings(MODULESTORE=TEST_DATA_MIXED_MODULESTORE)
 class ModuleRenderTestCase(ModuleStoreTestCase, LoginEnrollmentTestCase):
+    """
+    Tests of courseware.module_render
+    """
     def setUp(self):
         self.location = ['i4x', 'edX', 'toy', 'chapter', 'Overview']
         self.course_id = 'edX/toy/2012_Fall'
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
index b868d46e36..5cc4ff18df 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/permissions.py
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
+"""
+Module for checking permissions with the comment_client backend
+"""
+
 import logging
-from util.cache import cache
 from django.core import cache
-cache = cache.get_cache('default')
+
+
+CACHE = cache.get_cache('default')
+CACHE_LIFESPAN = 60
 
 
 def cached_has_permission(user, permission, course_id=None):
@@ -9,12 +15,11 @@ def cached_has_permission(user, permission, course_id=None):
     Call has_permission if it's not cached. A change in a user's role or
     a role's permissions will only become effective after CACHE_LIFESPAN seconds.
     """
-    CACHE_LIFESPAN = 60
     key = "permission_%d_%s_%s" % (user.id, str(course_id), permission)
-    val = cache.get(key, None)
+    val = CACHE.get(key, None)
     if val not in [True, False]:
         val = has_permission(user, permission, course_id=course_id)
-        cache.set(key, val, CACHE_LIFESPAN)
+        CACHE.set(key, val, CACHE_LIFESPAN)
     return val
 
 
@@ -72,31 +77,31 @@ def check_conditions_permissions(user, permissions, course_id, **kwargs):
 
 
 VIEW_PERMISSIONS = {
-    'update_thread'     :       ['edit_content', ['update_thread', 'is_open', 'is_author']],
-    'create_comment'    :       [["create_comment", "is_open"]],
-    'delete_thread'     :       ['delete_thread', ['update_thread', 'is_author']],
-    'update_comment'    :       ['edit_content', ['update_comment', 'is_open', 'is_author']],
-    'endorse_comment'   :       ['endorse_comment'],
-    'openclose_thread'  :       ['openclose_thread'],
-    'create_sub_comment':       [['create_sub_comment', 'is_open']],
-    'delete_comment'    :       ['delete_comment', ['update_comment', 'is_open', 'is_author']],
-    'vote_for_comment'  :       [['vote', 'is_open']],
-    'undo_vote_for_comment':    [['unvote', 'is_open']],
-    'vote_for_thread'   :       [['vote', 'is_open']],
-    'flag_abuse_for_thread':    [['vote', 'is_open']],
-    'un_flag_abuse_for_thread':    [['vote', 'is_open']],
-    'flag_abuse_for_comment':    [['vote', 'is_open']],
-    'un_flag_abuse_for_comment':    [['vote', 'is_open']],
-    'undo_vote_for_thread':     [['unvote', 'is_open']],
-    'pin_thread':    ['create_comment'],
-    'un_pin_thread':    ['create_comment'],
-    'follow_thread'     :       ['follow_thread'],
-    'follow_commentable':       ['follow_commentable'],
-    'follow_user'       :       ['follow_user'],
-    'unfollow_thread'   :       ['unfollow_thread'],
-    'unfollow_commentable':     ['unfollow_commentable'],
-    'unfollow_user'     :       ['unfollow_user'],
-    'create_thread'     :       ['create_thread'],
+    'update_thread': ['edit_content', ['update_thread', 'is_open', 'is_author']],
+    'create_comment': [["create_comment", "is_open"]],
+    'delete_thread': ['delete_thread', ['update_thread', 'is_author']],
+    'update_comment': ['edit_content', ['update_comment', 'is_open', 'is_author']],
+    'endorse_comment': ['endorse_comment'],
+    'openclose_thread': ['openclose_thread'],
+    'create_sub_comment': [['create_sub_comment', 'is_open']],
+    'delete_comment': ['delete_comment', ['update_comment', 'is_open', 'is_author']],
+    'vote_for_comment': [['vote', 'is_open']],
+    'undo_vote_for_comment': [['unvote', 'is_open']],
+    'vote_for_thread': [['vote', 'is_open']],
+    'flag_abuse_for_thread': [['vote', 'is_open']],
+    'un_flag_abuse_for_thread': [['vote', 'is_open']],
+    'flag_abuse_for_comment': [['vote', 'is_open']],
+    'un_flag_abuse_for_comment': [['vote', 'is_open']],
+    'undo_vote_for_thread': [['unvote', 'is_open']],
+    'pin_thread': ['create_comment'],
+    'un_pin_thread': ['create_comment'],
+    'follow_thread': ['follow_thread'],
+    'follow_commentable': ['follow_commentable'],
+    'follow_user': ['follow_user'],
+    'unfollow_thread': ['unfollow_thread'],
+    'unfollow_commentable': ['unfollow_commentable'],
+    'unfollow_user': ['unfollow_user'],
+    'create_thread': ['create_thread'],
     'update_moderator_status': ['manage_moderator'],
 }
 
diff --git a/lms/lib/comment_client/models.py b/lms/lib/comment_client/models.py
index 7296151c80..367b9abd10 100644
--- a/lms/lib/comment_client/models.py
+++ b/lms/lib/comment_client/models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from .utils import *
+from .utils import extract, perform_request, CommentClientRequestError
 
 
 class Model(object):