Evaluation of Potential Surrogates for Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Citrus-Specific Validation Studies

The FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) requires citrus packers to more closely assess, manage, and monitor food safety risks. Although there have been no foodborne illness outbreaks and only one recall in fresh citrus, the risk of pathogens coming in on the fruit and cross contamination during washing still exists. Packhouses have dynamic washing systems and in-plant validations may be the only way to demonstrate compliance with the PSR. In-plant validations use surrogates in place of pathogens, and none have been identified or validated for citrus. The aim of this research was to identify a surrogate for use in fresh citrus packhouses. Potential surrogates were screened for free chlorine resistance, survival under commercial storage conditions, and shedding and attachment characteristics during simulated washing. E. faecium NRRL B-2354 and P. pentosaceus NRRL B-14009 were selected for further study. Resistance to chlorine was not significantly different between E. faecium and L. monocytogenes FSL J1-031 when exposed to 3 ppm free chlorine for 30, 60, 90, and 120 s at 20 and 100 ppm TSB (pE. faecium and P. pentosaceus behavior was significantly different than L. monocytogenes (p=0.05), indicating that neither is a suitable surrogate. In shedding and attachment, either the fruit (shedding) or water (attachment) was inoculated, washing was simulated, and organisms were enumerated from the water (shedding) or fruit (attachment). Both potential surrogates were statistically different than L. monocytogenes (pE. faecium can be used for L. monocytogenes shedding estimates and E. faecium and P. pentosaceus can be used for attachment estimates. Overall, this research suggests that E. faecium NRRL B-2354 can be considered as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes in whole, fresh citrus validation studies on chlorinated washes and – with appropriate adjustments – on shedding and attachment characteristics

Credit Programs for the Poor: A Tale of Two Studies

Alongside with the poverty alleviation program is the effort to make credit accessible to small and poor households. Despite the government’s effort of resource mobilization towards these programs, poverty is still widespread. Reviewing the directed-credit programs implemented by the government non-financial agencies and by the government financial institutions this issue shows that these have exhibited dreary performance. Measures of reforms are advocated.money and banking, credit program, credit market

Eye care...about AIDS

Since its recognition in 1981, the Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has been responsible for the deaths of at least 23,884 of its victims. The causative agent, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is transmitted primarily via blood and semen. The virus acts by depressing the body\u27s immune system, thereby making it subject to attack from a multitude of opportunistic infections and Kaposi\u27s sarcoma. Ocular and systemic infections result. As primary health care professionals, optometrists\u27 role in this battle against AIDS is one of detection, prevention and proper patient education. Recognizing the ocular manifestations of AIDS may facilitate the diagnosis. Early detection could mean more prompt treatment and a better prognosis for the AIDS patient

Improving the financial statements review process of reporting & analysis department in a shared services entity of a global energy firm

The Financial Reporting process is an integral part in the Finance department of ABC Group of Companies, a global energy group. It summarizes the quarterly financial results of the company that are published for stakeholders’ use. Relevant to this process is the preparation of commentaries and variance explanations to give context to the numbers. This action research addressed the issue of incomplete commentaries provided by the Finance Analysts and Specialists during the work day 6 review of Financial Statements. This is by making sure that commentary preparers understand the end-to-end financial reporting process and by establishing several measures to improve the financial review process. I work as a Financial Reporting Senior Specialist in Manila shared services entity of ABC Group of Companies. I manage the monthly consolidation of financial results of the Chemicals portfolio of businesses in the U.S. and the end-to-end financial reporting activities. Together with my collaborators, our team conducted two cycles of action research. In the first cycle, we implemented the following interventions: (1) Additional Loading schedule for Data Load, (2) Educate the Chemicals North America Reporting and Analysis team with the Commentary Preparation and Variance Analysis and (3) Improve the template currently used in the Financial Statement Review process. To further improve the financial review process, we conducted the following interventions during the second cycle: (1) Document in a standard work instruction the basics of commentary preparation and variance explanations and the flow of financial information to different systems used in the company, and (2) Establish a working backup system between the Finance Analysts and Specialists. These interventions established a clear guidance of what is required from the Finance Analysts and Specialists and had given them a better understanding of the end-to-end process, resulting in better work performance

VagaHome - TCK : scents of identity

This dissertation aims to explore the possible role of design in understanding identity and culture, especially with the growing impact of globalisation and mobility in the intermingling of ethnicities and cultures in our modern age. A term coined in the 1950s by the sociologist, Ruth Hill Useem, Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are individuals who have spent a significant part of their developmental years outside of their parents' culture. Sometimes known as the In-Betweeners, Global Nomads2, or the Non-Place Kids3 who are neither here nor there, TCKs have learned to plant their roots in multiple places and cultures, therefore, are usually struggling with the question, "Where are you from?”, as their answers often cannot resonate to just one anthropological place as commonly expected. Though each may have differing backgrounds and cultural experiences, TCKs find commonality in the state of in-betweenness4, being that it is in the midst of transition and mobility where the TCK identity is born. Drawing its name from the words, “Vagabond” and “Home”, VagaHome aims to establish and create a home for the TCK identity through a sensory experience depicting the vagabond cycle of packing up and leaving one temporary home for another - an occurrence that is shared among many TCKs. Initially a spatial design to build a sensory experience, the project is ultimately presented in the form of an experimental film to demonstrate the experience online. This thesis also acts as an introduction for those who have yet to become aware of the growing population of TCKs or for those who have yet to realise that they, too, are part of this global community.Bachelor of Fine Arts in Product Desig

Enhanced Secretion in P. pastoris with Maltose Binding Proteins

To increase the efficiency of protein expression in the yeast Pichia pastoris we have constructed a new plasmid which allows the heterologous protein to be expressed as a fusion with the Maltose Binding Protein (MBP).We have seen that the MBP is easily secreted extracellularly in high yields. With this knowledge we are working on creating a fusion between MBP with other proteins such as FKBP12 and EGFP. The overall goal of this project is to create a fusion partner expression vector teaming up a protein that secretes well extracellularly with a heterologous protein

Enhanced Secretion in P. pastoris with Maltose Binding Proteins

To increase the efficiency of protein expression in the yeast Pichia pastoris we have constructed a new plasmid which allows the heterologous protein to be expressed as a fusion with the Maltose Binding Protein (MBP).We have seen that the MBP is easily secreted extracellularly in high yields. With this knowledge we are working on creating a fusion between MBP with other proteins such as FKBP12 and EGFP. The overall goal of this project is to create a fusion partner expression vector teaming up a protein that secretes well extracellularly with a heterologous protein

GC–MS analysis of bioactive compounds present in different extracts of an endemic plant Broussonetia luzonica (Blanco) (Moraceae) leaves

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate and characterize the chemical composition of the different crude extracts from the leaves of Broussonetia luzonica (Blanco) (Moraceae) (B. luzonica), an endemic plant in the Philippines.MethodsThe air dried leaves were powdered and subjected to selective sequential extraction using solvents of increasing polarity through percolation, namely, n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol to obtain three different extracts. Then, each of the extracts was further subjected to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.ResultsQualitative determination of the different biologically active compounds from crude extracts of B. luzonica using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed different types of high and low molecular weight chemical entities with varying quantities present in each of the extracts. These chemical compounds are considered biologically and pharmacologically important. Furthermore, the three different extracts possess unique physicochemical characteristics which may be attributed to the compounds naturally present in significant quantities in the leaves of B. luzonica.ConclusionsThe three extracts possess major bioactive compounds that were identified and characterized spectroscopically. Thus, identification of different biologically active compounds in the extracts of B. luzonica leaves warrants further biological and pharmacological studies