Five different mutant strains were developed from the wild strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MTCC No.287) using UV irradiation technique by varying the exposure timings. All the mutant cultures were used for ethanol production using banana peel as a substrate in a batch fermenter. The effect of temperature, pH and initial substrate concentration on ethanol production were studied and optimize...

The present study was aimed at purification and characterization of α-amylase enzyme from strain of Aspergillus niger isolated from local soil samples. Solid state fermentation (SSF) was carried out to produce α-amylase from A. niger using waste banana peel as substrate. The maximum activity of α-amylase (11926 U/gds) was recorded after 72 hours of fermentation. The extracted enzyme was subject...

We present a case of maxillary sinusitis caused by Schizophyllum commune, in a 50-year-old female. The patient presented with nasal obstruction, purulent nasal discharge from right side of the nose, cough, headache, and sneezing. Computed tomography revealed extensive opacity of the right maxillary sinus as well as erosion of the nasal wall and maxillary bone. Functional endoscopic sinus surger...

Physicochemical properties of banana peel flour (BPF) were studied in two varieties (Cavendish and Dream) and two stages of ripeness (green and ripe). BPF’s were analyzed for pH, total soluble solids (TSS), water holding capacity (WHC) at 40, 60 and 80C, oil holding capacity (OHC) at 40, 60 and 80C, colour values L, a and b, back extrusion force and viscosity, and the data were analyzed using...

Patients with frontal lobe syndrome can exhibit two types of abnormal behaviour when asked to place a banana and an orange in a single category: some patients categorize them at a concrete level (e.g., "both have peel"), while others continue to look for differences between these objects (e.g., "one is yellow, the other is orange"). These observations raise the question of whether abstraction a...