Microbial production of multienzyme preparation from mosambi peel using Trichoderma asperellum.

Fruit and vegetable wastes create unhygienic conditions and pose a environmental pollution. The utilization of such wastes as carbon sources for production of enzyme with microbial intervention could be an ecofriendly and profitable approach, apart from diminishing the waste load. The present investigation focused on the feasibility of using mosambi (Citrus limetta) peel as substrate for multienzyme production (pectinase, cellulase and amylase) through microbial intervention. Fifteen fungi were isolated from organic waste and screened in vitro their potential of biodegradation of mosambi peel through enzymes production. The best performing isolate was selected and identified as Trichoderma asperellum NG-125 (accession number-MW287256). Conditions viz. temperature, pH, incubation time and nutrient addition were optimized for efficient enzymes production. The maximum enzyme activity (U ml-1 min-1) of pectinase (595.7 ± 2.47), cellulase (497.3 ± 2.06) and amylase (440.9 ± 1.44) were observed at pH 5.5, incubation temperature of 30 °C after 10 days of fermentation. Moreover, macro-nutrients such as ammonium sulfate (0.1%) and potassium-di-hydrogen-ortho-phosphate (0.01%) further also enhanced the production of enzymes. The SDS-PAGE analysis of purified pectinase, cellulase and amylase using showed molecular mass of 43, 66 and 33 kDa, respectively. The enzyme retention activity (ERA) of aforesaid enzymes was also tested with four different natural fiber matrices viz., bagasse, rice husk, paddy straw and wheat straw. Among these, the maximum ERA was observed on bagasse matrix (pectinase-56.35%, cellulose-77.68% and amylase 59.54%). Enzymatic juice clarification yield obtained with test enzyme was 75.8%, as compared to 80.5% of commercial enzyme. The result indicates that T. asperellum may be exploited as multifaceted biocatalysis.

Effect of stress on academic performance in medical students--a cross sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Stress, a universal phenomenon, affects an individual's productivity either by increasing it ('eustress') or decreasing it ('distress'). It is widely acknowledged that the medical fraternity is predisposed to enormous stress. The same may be true for the budding medicos- the undergraduate medical students. In our study we attempted to identify situations that predisposed the medical students to stress and their effects on academic performance and to suggest certain coping mechanisms. OBJECTIVES: firstly to explore common sources of stress in medical students, secondly to establish correlation of stress, gender, attendance, and academic performance if any. METHOD: 114 medical undergraduates were assessed for the common sources of stress and the level of stress using semi structured Performa and stress scale. The results were compared and correlated with various variables like attendance, demographic factors, average marks etc. Pearson correlation coefficient was used for statistical correlation amongst different variables. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: Stress shows beneficial effects in females when compared to males. High attendance and better day to day performance in female medical students was associated with more amount of stress when compared to male students. Thus, stress among medical students should be acknowledged and attempts should be made to alleviate it.

Immobilization of microbial multienzyme preparation on calcium alginate beads as well as lyophilization with mosambi peel matrix improved its shelf-life and stability.

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the functional activity and storage viability (at 4 °C and 35 °C) of an immobilized as well as lyophilized multienzyme, viz., pectinase, cellulase, and amylase (PCA) that was produced by Bacillus subtilis NG105 under solid state fermentation (SSF) at 35 ℃ for 10 days using mosambi peel as a substrate. After SSF, the culture media was divided into two aliquots. From the first aliquot, the produced ME was extracted, precipitated, and further immobilized on calcium alginate beads (MEICA). In order to immobilize on mosambi peel matrix, the second aliquot was mixed with acetone and subsequently lyophilized (MELMP). Thus, ready MEICA and MELMP extracted 87.5 and 91.5% juice from mango pulp, respectively. In the reusability study, after 5 cycles, MEICA exhibited 23.8%, 24.4%, and 36.5% PCA activity, respectively. The PCA activity of MEICA and MELMP was examined after 60 days of storage at 4 ℃. The result revealed that the PCA for MEICA declined from 100 to 66%, 58.2%, and 64.5%, respectively, while for MELMP, it dropped from 100 to 84.2%, 82.1%, and 69.7%, respectively. Further, after 60 days of storage, the reduction of total protein content (TPC) in free multienzyme (FME), MEICA, and MELMP was 92.2%, 91.5%, and 36.3% observed, respectively. In the localization study, the maximum levels of multienzyme activity were found in cell exudates. This study demonstrated that immobilizing of multienzyme through lyophilization on waste substrates like mosambi peel boosted its stability and shelf-life along with greatly reducing the cost of products.

Meta-analysis of biodynamic (BD) preparations reveal the bacterial population involved in improving soil health, crop yield and quality.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial community found in biodynamic preparations (BD500-BD507) can help improve soil health, plant development, yield, and quality. The current work describes a metagenomic investigation of these preparations to identify the bacterial communities along with the functional diversity present within them. RESULTS: Metagenome sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform, which employs next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, to provide an understanding of the bacterial communities and their functional diversity in BD preparations. NGS data of BD preparations revealed that maximum operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of the phylum Proteobacteria were present in BD506 (23429) followed by BD505 (22712) and BD501 (21591), respectively. Moreover, unclassified phylum (16657) and genus (16657) were also highest in BD506. Maximum alpha diversity was reported in BD501 (1095 OTU) and minimum in BD507 (257 OTU). Further, the OTUs for five major metabolic functional groups viz carbohydrate metabolism, xenobiotic degradation, membrane transport functions, energy metabolism, and enzyme activities were abundant in BD506 and BD501. CONCLUSION: The bacterial communities in BD506 and BD501 are found to be unique and rare; they belong to functional categories that are involved in enzyme activity, membrane transport, xenobiotic degradation, and carbohydrate metabolism. These preparations might therefore be thought to be more effective. The investigation also found a highly varied population of bacteria, which could explain why BD preparations work well in the field. In view of this, the BD preparations may be utilized for unexploited bacterial communities for sustainable agriculture production.

A Study of personality profile and criminal behavior in substance abusers.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to study the personality characteristics and criminal behavior in the substance abusers. The role of various sociodemographic variables in substance abusers, which affected their criminal behavior was also studied. Moreover, in the present study, the personality profile of substance users and nonusers was compared using psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism (PEN) inventory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 consecutive subjects diagnosed as per International Classification of Diseases-10 criteria for substance abuse, fulfilling the inclusive and exclusive criteria were taken. A well-matched control was also assessed to compare the studied subject using a well-designed semi-structured proforma and PEN inventory. RESULTS: Most of the substance abusers were Hindus, married, belonged to 21-30 age group and urban domicile, and were presently unemployed, educated up to middle class, and belonged to lower socioeconomic status. Family history of substance use was significant in the subjects, and the chief substance of use was opioids. Scores for psychoticism and neuroticism, as well as the criminal behavior was significantly higher in studied subjects. CONCLUSION: Thus, conclusions drawn were that personality characteristics of the substance abusers differed significantly from the control group and second, the number of variables including occupational status, socioeconomic status, family history of substance use, and type of substance of abuse significantly correlated with the criminal behavior in the substance abusers. Identifying these variables can be the first step in the intervention in substance abusers in order to reduce their future criminal behavior.