Comparison of carbon footprint and water scarcity footprint of milk protein produced by cellular agriculture and the dairy industry

Purpose: This paper studies the carbon footprint and water scarcity footprint (WSF) of a milk protein, beta-lactoglobulin, produced by cellular agriculture and compares this to extracted dairy protein from milk. The calculations of the microbially produced proteins were based on a model of a hypothetical industrial-scale facility. The purpose of the study is to examine the role relative to dairy of microbially produced milk proteins in meeting future demand for more sustainably produced protein of high nutritional quality. Methods: The evaluated process considers beta-lactoglobulin production in bioreactor cultivation with filamentous fungi T. reesei and downstream processing for product purification. The model considers four production scenarios in four different locations (New Zealand, Germany, US, and Australia) with a cradle-to-gate system boundary. The scenarios consider different sources of carbon (glucose and sucrose), different options for the fungal biomass treatment (waste or animal feed) and for the purification of the product. Allocation to biomass was avoided by considering it substituting the production of general protein feed. The carbon footprint and WSF (based on AWaRe factors) modelling is compared to calculations and actual data on extracted dairy protein production in NZ. The uncertainties of modelled process were addressed with a sensitivity analysis. Results and discussion: The carbon footprint of microbially produced protein varied depending on the location (energy profile) and source of carbon used. The lowest carbon footprint (5.5 t CO2e/t protein) was found with sucrose-based production in NZ and the highest (17.6 t CO2e/t protein) in Australia with the glucose and chromatography step. The WSF results varied between 88–5030 m3 world eq./t protein, depending on the location, type of sugar and purification method used. The avoided feed production had a bigger impact on the WSF than on the carbon footprint. Both footprints were sensitive to process parameters of final titre and protein yield from sugar. The results for milk protein were of similar magnitude, c.10 t CO2e/t protein and 290–11,300 m3 world eq./t protein. Conclusions: The environmental impacts of microbially produced milk protein were of the same magnitude as for extracted dairy protein. The main contributions were sugar and electricity production. The carbon footprints of proteins produced by cellular agriculture have potential for significant reduction when renewable energy and more sustainable carbon sources are used and combined with evolving knowledge and technology in microbial production. Similarly, the carbon footprint of milk proteins can potentially be reduced through methane reduction technologies.</p

Re-annotation of the CAZy genes of Trichoderma reesei and transcription in the presence of lignocellulosic substrates

BACKGROUND: Trichoderma reesei is a soft rot Ascomycota fungus utilised for industrial production of secreted enzymes, especially lignocellulose degrading enzymes. About 30 carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes) of T. reesei have been biochemically characterised. Genome sequencing has revealed a large number of novel candidates for CAZymes, thus increasing the potential for identification of enzymes with novel activities and properties. Plenty of data exists on the carbon source dependent regulation of the characterised hydrolytic genes. However, information on the expression of the novel CAZyme genes, especially on complex biomass material, is very limited. RESULTS: In this study, the CAZyme gene content of the T. reesei genome was updated and the annotations of the genes refined using both computational and manual approaches. Phylogenetic analysis was done to assist the annotation and to identify functionally diversified CAZymes. The analyses identified 201 glycoside hydrolase genes, 22 carbohydrate esterase genes and five polysaccharide lyase genes. Updated or novel functional predictions were assigned to 44 genes, and the phylogenetic analysis indicated further functional diversification within enzyme families or groups of enzymes. GH3 β-glucosidases, GH27 α-galactosidases and GH18 chitinases were especially functionally diverse. The expression of the lignocellulose degrading enzyme system of T. reesei was studied by cultivating the fungus in the presence of different inducing substrates and by subjecting the cultures to transcriptional profiling. The substrates included both defined and complex lignocellulose related materials, such as pretreated bagasse, wheat straw, spruce, xylan, Avicel cellulose and sophorose. The analysis revealed co-regulated groups of CAZyme genes, such as genes induced in all the conditions studied and also genes induced preferentially by a certain set of substrates. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the CAZyme content of the T. reesei genome was updated, the discrepancies between the different genome versions and published literature were removed and the annotation of many of the genes was refined. Expression analysis of the genes gave information on the enzyme activities potentially induced by the presence of the different substrates. Comparison of the expression profiles of the CAZyme genes under the different conditions identified co-regulated groups of genes, suggesting common regulatory mechanisms for the gene groups

Regulatory subunit B'gamma of protein phosphatase 2A prevents unnecessary defense reactions under low light in Arabidopsis

Peer reviewe

Arabidopsis RCD1 coordinates chloroplast and mitochondrial functions through interaction with ANAC transcription factors

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent signaling pathways from chloroplasts and mitochondria merge at the nuclear protein RADICAL INDUCED CELL DEATH 1 (RCD1). RCD1 interacts in vivo and suppresses the activity of the transcription factors ANAC013 and ANAC017, which mediate a ROS-related retrograde signal originating from mitochondrial complex III. Inactivation of RCD1 leads to increased expression of mitochondrial dysfunction stimulon (MDS) genes regulated by ANAC013 and ANAC017. Accumulating MDS gene products, including alternative oxidases (AOXs), affect redox status of the chloroplasts, leading to changes in chloroplast ROS processing and increased protection of photosynthetic apparatus. ROS alter the abundance, thiol redox state and oligomerization of the RCD1 protein in vivo, providing feedback control on its function. RCD1-dependent regulation is linked to chloroplast signaling by 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP). Thus, RCD1 integrates organellar signaling from chloroplasts and mitochondria to establish transcriptional control over the metabolic processes in both organelles

Silmien ja näön tutkiminen : Opetus-DVD Oulun ammattikorkeakoulun käyttöön

Opinnäytetyö ja sen tuloksena syntynyt opetusvideo on tehty Oulun ammattikorkeakoulun tilaamana ja tulee opetuskäyttöön tuleville sairaanhoitajille. Opetus-DVD:llä käsitellään sairaanhoitajan suorittama silmien ja näön tutkiminen aikuiselta potilaalta. Projektin tavoitteena oli tuottaa selkeä ja sekä ääni- että kuvamateriaalinsa osalta laadukas video. Tavoitteena oli myös esittää videolla käsiteltävät asiat niin, että katsojille syntyisi eheä kuva siitä, kuinka eri tutkimuksen osat suoritetaan. Opinnäytetyön tietoperustaan on kerätty tietoa silmän anatomiasta ja fysiologiasta, sekä esitelty yleisimpiä silmiin ja näköön vaikuttavia sairauksia ja ongelmia. Lähteinä tietoperustan kokoamisessa on käytetty aiheen kirjallisuutta, luotettaviksi arvioituja internet-lähteitä sekä projektityöryhmän jäseniä. Tietoperustan valmistumisen ohella hahmottelimme samanaikaisesti jo videon runkoa ja käsikirjoitusta. Projektisuunnitelman hyväksymisen jälkeen aloimme videon kuvaukset. Kuvamateriaali kuvattiin kahtena erillisenä päivänä. Videon editoinnista vastasimme itse, jonka vuoksi editointi oli verrattain hidasta. Valmis video löytyy poltettuna DVD-muotoon. Projektin edetessä saimme palautetta opinnäytetyömme ohjaavilta opettajilta. Palautteiden pohjalta muokkasimme raporttia ja videomateriaalia haluttuun suuntaan. Videon alussa esitellään silmien tutkimisessa yleisimmin käytettävät välineet, jonka jälkeen kuvataan sairaanhoitajan suorittama silmien tutkiminen. Tämän jälkeen esitellään näön tutkimisen välineet, josta siirrytään näön tutkimisen demonstroimiseen. Lopussa kerrataan lyhyesti videolla nähdyt asiat.The thesis and the educational video is made for Oulu University of Applied Sciences and is due to be used by nursing students. The video demonstrates the examination of the eyes and vision done by a nurse to an adult patient. The main goal of the project was to produce a quality video which would portray the examination as distinctly as possible. The theory part of the thesis consists of the anatomy and physiology of the eye and describes few of the most common problems and diseases of the eyes and vision. The sources used to create the theory part of the thesis consists of literature, internet-websites which were estimated to be reliable and of the persons who were part of the project’s workgroup. While working on the theory part we simultaneously worked on the base and script of the video. When the plan of the project was accepted by the supervisors, we started shooting the video. The shooting took place in Oulu Univeristy of Applied Scienses and had to be done on two separate days. Due to the fact that we ourselves were responsible for the editing of the video and had no previous experience of it, the editing process was rather slow. The finished video can be found copied to DVD-form. Throughout the process of making the thesis and the video we collected feedback from the supervising teachers of our thesis. That helped us make the necessary changes and stirred the form of the project into more convenient direction. The video starts by showing the basic instruments which are used when examining the eyes. Then there is a demonstration of the different techniques used to examine the eyes. Next you will see the tools used in vision examination, followed by the examination itself. At the end of the video there is a short recap of the things learned so far

The visual design of a websites user interface

This study examines web design user interface. In the theory part the main aspects and principles of web design will be described. The main principles that are introduced in the study are: balance, rhythm, emphasis and unity. Improvement suggestions for web pag-es with a bad interface will be done and also the end result and changes will be shown. The study goes deeply into detail looking at the structure of a webpage. The significance of colors and the use of them in design will also be focused on. A short explanation of each color will be explained in the concept of using them in web design. The eye-tracking machine Tobii will be used in the empirical part. Eye tracking is the process of measuring either the point of gaze or the motion of an eye relative to the head. Six webpages will be tested. Each site is very similar, small changes have been done to the coloring and product pictures. They are all e-commerce web pages that sell clothing as their main product. The webpages are done by the author, by making a realistic looking appearance. The purpose of the study is to examine the use of different colors and whether using human models or just pictures of the products are recommended. A conjoint analysis will be presented based on a questionnaire. The result of the test will be introduced by showing heat maps, time duration graphs and tables. The aim of the study is to figure out a common pattern for web design, more precisely where to place the different elements and what background color is recommended.Denna studie undersöker webbdesign. I teoridelen kommer de viktigaste aspekterna och principerna för webbdesign att beskrivas. De huvudprinciper som introduceras i studien är: balans, rytm, betoning och enhet. Förbättringsförslag på webbsidor med dålig design kommer att ske och även slutresultatet och ändringar kommer att visas. Studien går djupt in i detalj och tittar på strukturen av webdesign. Innebörden av olika färger och användningen av dem i design kommer också att fokuseras på. En kort förklaring av varje färg i begreppet visuell design kommer att finnas samt hur de kan användas inom webbdesign. Eye-tracking maskinen Tobii kommer att användas i den empiriska delen. Eye-tracking är en process för mätning av antingen blickens punkt eller rörelsen hos ett öga i förhållande till huvudet. Sex webbsidor kommer att testas och gemföras. Varje sida är mycket lika och de är alla e -handel webbsidor som säljer kläder som sin huvudprodukt. En conjoint analys kommer att presenteras på basen av frågeformuläret. Syftet med studien är att un-dersöka användningen av olika färger och om att använda mänskliga modeller eller bara bilder av produkterna rekommenderas. Resultatet av testet kommer att introducerar ge-nom att visa värmekartor. Syftet med studien är att räkna ut ett gemensamt mönster för webbdesign, mer exakt var placeringen de olika elementen är lönsam och vilken bak-grundsfärg rekommenderas att använda. Resultatet av studien visar att respondenterna föredrog naturlig bakgrunds färg och att använda modeller som visar kläder rekommen-deras också