Substrate Optimization for Bioemulsification Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2031 by Response Surface Methodology

Biosurfactants are microbially derived amphiphilic molecules that can be used as biodegradable emulsifiers in various applications. For biosurfactant production to be economically viable, inexpensive raw materials should be used. In this study, substrate optimization of biosurfactant production from Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2031 was done using molasses as an additional carbon source to glucose, and coco paring meal extract as a nitrogen source. Optimum conditions were determined as pH 5.69, 10.60% (w.v-1) molasses and 7.27% (v.v-1) coco paring meal extract using Box-Behnken design. At these conditions, the obtained responses: namely biomass concentration and % emulsification index determined with kerosene, were 6.43 g.L-1 and 82.81%, respectively. The highest emulsification activity (84.60%) was attained after 4 days of shake-flask fermentation. On the other hand, a bioreactor system observed the maximum yield for emulsification activity (93.33) after 4 days. The biosurfactant extracted was characterized by its total sugar, protein content and surface tension reduction

API Listeria Rapid kit for Confirmatory Fenotypic Conventional Biochemical Test of the Prevalence Listeria Monocytogenes in Selected Meat and Meat Products

AbstractThis study was conducted to confirm the prevalences Listeria monocytogenes from the conventional biochemical identification. The prevalences of pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes come from raw and processed meat products. The DIM results of confirmatory identification using the API Listeria kit showed that 4 isolates were designated as L. monocytogenes with a ‘doubtful profile’ comment, 98.69%, good identification respectively. On the other hand, 2 isolates were identified as L.innocua and L. seeligeri

PRE-TREATMENT AND ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF BANANA (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) PSEUDOSTEM FOR ETHANOL PRODUCTION

Banana (M. acuminata x balbisiana) is an abundant lignocellulosic waste material in large plantations all over the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, which can be utilized as substrate in producing high-value products like ethanol. To compensate for the low yield based on total weight of substrate due to the high moisture content of banana pseudostem, there is the primary challenge to make the conversion of this lignocellulosic biomass into monomeric sugar and then into ethanol more efficiently in order to achieve yields that would make it cost-competitive. Hence, this study evaluated the effects of solid loading, incubation time and amount of enzyme on yield of reducing sugars in the enzymatic hydrolysis process and attempted to optimize the significant factors by Response Surface Methodology (RSM), specifically using Box-Behnken design. There was significant improvement on the reducing sugar yield of the pretreated banana pseudostem at 20 h incubation time, 15 g solid loading and 0.55 % enzyme concentration. Ethanol production was observed to be higher in the detoxified substrate although biomass was higher for the non-detoxified substrate. As to our knowledge, the present study is the first attempt to produce second generation ethanol using banana pseudostem waste as feedstock in the Philippines

Construction of pDESTR, a GATEWAY Vector for Gene Disruption in Filamentous Fungi

We have constructed pDESTR, a destination vector of gateway system especially for gene targeting and disruption in filamentous fungi. The vector was constructed by removing the multicloning site of pGEM-T easy vector, and inserting hygromycin phosphotransferase gene construct from pCB1004, and a gateway vector conversion cassette. In order to construct a DNA for gene disruption, only an inverse-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the restricted, target sequence is needed. After the amplification with a 5′CACC-tagged primer and an ordinary primer, the DNA fragment will be inserted into pENTR/D-TOPO vector and then transferred into pDESTR through LR-recombination reaction. The resulting vector has the disruption construct, after being digested with the restriction enzyme used for the inverse-PCR. The effectiveness of this vector was assessed in Neurospora crassa. The use of pDESTR will therefore simplify the construction of a targeting vector, where multiple ligation steps are usually neede

Tapping into Talent: Neurodiversity Employment Research Project

Over the past few years, there has been an emerging landscape of corporate neurodiversity employment programs developing across the globe. Funded by Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), this project explores and investigates the organizational processes, management principles, and work practices used by companies with established employment programs catered to neurodivergent individuals. As of 2021, the research team has studied more than a dozen global organizations, ranging from non-profits, social enterprises, and for-profit firms. The Neurodiversity Employment Research Project is an initiative at the Ivey Business School led by Professor Robert Austin. The following video details an overview of the research project – its history, its purpose, and its findings so far. The initial analysis suggests that neurodiversity employment programs are a win-win for all those involved: the programs themselves grant career opportunities to neurodivergent individuals, while simultaneously enabling firms access to a diversified talent pool. The goal of this project is to contribute to an improved understanding of best practices for neurodiversity employment programs with the hope that these programs continue to expand in the years to come