scholarly journals Generation and Characterization of Indoor Fungal Aerosols for Inhalation Studies

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (8) ◽  
pp. 2479-2493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Mette Madsen ◽  
Søren T. Larsen ◽  
Ismo K. Koponen ◽  
Kirsten I. Kling ◽  
Afnan Barooni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Inhalation Exposure ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Exposure Level ◽  
Exposure System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Water Damage

ABSTRACTIn the indoor environment, people are exposed to several fungal species. Evident dampness is associated with increased respiratory symptoms. To examine the immune responses associated with fungal exposure, mice are often exposed to a single species grown on an agar medium. The aim of this study was to develop an inhalation exposure system to be able to examine responses in mice exposed to mixed fungal species aerosolized from fungus-infested building materials. Indoor airborne fungi were sampled and cultivated on gypsum boards. Aerosols were characterized and compared with aerosols in homes. Aerosols containing 107CFU of fungi/m3air were generated repeatedly from fungus-infested gypsum boards in a mouse exposure chamber. Aerosols containedAspergillus nidulans,Aspergillus niger,Aspergillus ustus,Aspergillus versicolor,Chaetomium globosum,Cladosporiumherbarum,Penicillium brevicompactum,Penicillium camemberti,Penicillium chrysogenum,Penicillium commune,Penicillium glabrum,Penicillium olsonii,Penicillium rugulosum,Stachybotrys chartarum, andWallemia sebi. They were all among the most abundant airborne species identified in 28 homes. Nine species from gypsum boards and 11 species in the homes are associated with water damage. Most fungi were present as single spores, but chains and clusters of different species and fragments were also present. The variation in exposure level during the 60 min of aerosol generation was similar to the variation measured in homes. Through aerosolization of fungi from the indoor environment, cultured on gypsum boards, it was possible to generate realistic aerosols in terms of species composition, concentration, and particle sizes. The inhalation-exposure system can be used to study responses to indoor fungi associated with water damage and the importance of fungal species composition.

scholarly journals Development, Characterization, and Standardization of a Nose-Only Inhalation Exposure System for Exposure of Rabbits to Small-Particle Aerosols ContainingFrancisella tularensis

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine J. O’Malley ◽  
Jennifer D. Bowling ◽  
Eileen M. Barry ◽  
Karsten R. O. Hazlett ◽  
Douglas S. Reed
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Median Survival ◽  
Bacterial Culture ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Inhalation Exposure ◽  
Brain Heart Infusion ◽  
Survival Times ◽  
Exposure System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Schu S4

ABSTRACTInhalation ofFrancisella tularensiscauses pneumonic tularemia in humans, a severe disease with a 30 to 60% mortality rate. The reproducible delivery of aerosolized virulent bacteria in relevant animal models is essential for evaluating medical countermeasures. Here we developed optimized protocols for infecting New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits with aerosols containingF. tularensis. We evaluated the relative humidity, aerosol exposure technique, and bacterial culture conditions to optimize the spray factor (SF), a central metric of aerosolization. This optimization reduced both inter- and intraday variability and was applicable to multiple isolates ofF. tularensis. Further improvements in the accuracy and precision of the inhaled pathogen dose were achieved through enhanced correlation of the bacterial culture optical density and the number of CFU. Plethysmograph data collected during exposures found that respiratory function varied considerably between rabbits, was not a function of weight, and did not improve with acclimation to the system. Live vaccine strain (LVS)-vaccinated rabbits were challenged via aerosol with human-virulentF. tularensisSCHU S4 that had been cultivated in either Mueller-Hinton broth (MHB) or brain heart infusion (BHI) broth. LVS-vaccinated animals challenged with SCHU S4 that had been cultivated in MHB experienced short febrile periods (median, 3.2 days), limited weight loss (<5%), and longer median survival times (∼18 days) that were significantly different from those for unvaccinated controls. In contrast, LVS-vaccinated rabbits challenged with SCHU S4 that had been cultivated in BHI experienced longer febrile periods (median, 5.5 days) and greater weight loss (>10%) than the unvaccinated controls and median survival times that were not significantly different from those for the unvaccinated controls. These studies highlight the importance of careful characterization and optimization of protocols for aerosol challenge with pathogenic agents.

scholarly journals Associations between Fungal Species and Water-Damaged Building Materials

2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 4180-4188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgitte Andersen ◽  
Jens C. Frisvad ◽  
Ib Søndergaard ◽  
Ib S. Rasmussen ◽  
Lisbeth S. Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Penicillium Chrysogenum ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Fungal Growth ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Aspergillus Ochraceus ◽  
Multivariate Statistic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Full Diversity ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds

ABSTRACTFungal growth in damp or water-damaged buildings worldwide is an increasing problem, which has adverse effects on both the occupants and the buildings. Air sampling alone in moldy buildings does not reveal the full diversity of fungal species growing on building materials. One aim of this study was to estimate the qualitative and quantitative diversity of fungi growing on damp or water-damaged building materials. Another was to determine if associations exist between the most commonly found fungal species and different types of materials. More than 5,300 surface samples were taken by means of V8 contact plates from materials with visible fungal growth. Fungal identifications and information on building material components were analyzed using multivariate statistic methods to determine associations between fungi and material components. The results confirmed thatPenicillium chrysogenumandAspergillus versicolorare the most common fungal species in water-damaged buildings. The results also showedChaetomiumspp.,Acremoniumspp., andUlocladiumspp. to be very common on damp building materials. Analyses show that associated mycobiotas exist on different building materials. Associations were found between (i)Acremoniumspp.,Penicillium chrysogenum,Stachybotrysspp.,Ulocladiumspp., and gypsum and wallpaper, (ii)Arthrinium phaeospermum,Aureobasidium pullulans,Cladosporium herbarum,Trichodermaspp., yeasts, and different types of wood and plywood, and (iii)Aspergillus fumigatus,Aspergillus melleus,Aspergillus niger,Aspergillus ochraceus,Chaetomiumspp.,Mucor racemosus,Mucor spinosus, and concrete and other floor-related materials. These results can be used to develop new and resistant building materials and relevant allergen extracts and to help focus research on relevant mycotoxins, microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs), and microparticles released into the indoor environment.

217. Design and Operation of a Popcorn Butter Flavoring Inhalation Exposure System

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Goldsmith ◽  
D. Frazer ◽  
W. McKinney ◽  
W. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Inhalation Exposure ◽  
Exposure System

scholarly journals Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase-Mediated Metabolic Utilization of Benzo[a]Pyrene by Aspergillus Species

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin M. Ostrem Loss ◽  
Mi-Kyung Lee ◽  
Ming-Yueh Wu ◽  
Julia Martien ◽  
Wanping Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Environmental Pollutants ◽  
Energy Generation ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Metabolic Changes ◽  
Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase ◽  
Cellular Growth ◽  
P450 Monooxygenase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fundamental Knowledge

ABSTRACT Soil-dwelling fungal species possess the versatile metabolic capability to degrade complex organic compounds that are toxic to humans, yet the mechanisms they employ remain largely unknown. Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is a pervasive carcinogenic contaminant, posing a significant concern for human health. Here, we report that several Aspergillus species are capable of degrading BaP. Exposing Aspergillus nidulans cells to BaP results in transcriptomic and metabolic changes associated with cellular growth and energy generation, implying that the fungus utilizes BaP as a growth substrate. Importantly, we identify and characterize the conserved bapA gene encoding a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that is necessary for the metabolic utilization of BaP in Aspergillus. We further demonstrate that the fungal NF-κB-type velvet regulators VeA and VelB are required for proper expression of bapA in response to nutrient limitation and BaP degradation in A. nidulans. Our study illuminates fundamental knowledge of fungal BaP metabolism and provides novel insights into enhancing bioremediation potential. IMPORTANCE We are increasingly exposed to environmental pollutants, including the carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which has prompted extensive research into human metabolism of toxicants. However, little is known about metabolic mechanisms employed by fungi that are able to use some toxic pollutants as the substrates for growth, leaving innocuous by-products. This study systemically demonstrates that a common soil-dwelling fungus is able to use benzo[a]pyrene as food, which results in expression and metabolic changes associated with growth and energy generation. Importantly, this study reveals key components of the metabolic utilization of BaP, notably a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and the fungal NF-κB-type transcriptional regulators. Our study advances fundamental knowledge of fungal BaP metabolism and provides novel insight into designing and implementing enhanced bioremediation strategies.

Continuity and change in housing and settlement patterns in post-earthquake Gujarat, India

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Erica Duyne Barenstein
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Spatial Organisation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Transformations ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
Efficiency Cost ◽  
Building Culture ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose – This paper aims to examine people's strategies to regain control over the socio-spatial organisation of their villages and transform their agency-built houses in culturally meaningful places post-disaster. In the aftermath of a disaster, building processes are often taken over by external agencies whose approach towards reconstruction is governed by considerations such as safety, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and – in some cases – also by an explicit will to trigger social transformations. As a result, reconstruction often entails dramatic changes in settlement location and morphologies, housing designs, building materials and construction processes. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an ongoing interdisciplinary empirical research project focusing on communities’ patterns of adaptation to post-disaster relocated settlements in India, the paper examines people’s strategies to regain control over the socio-spatial organisation of their villages and to transform their agency-built houses in culturally meaningful places. Findings – The paper shows that people are not passive recipients of external agencies’ often culturally insensitive project and that they have the capacity to transform externally imposed notions of appropriate housing to meet their cultural- and livelihood-specific needs. Based on a micro-level case study of a village in Gujarat, it is argued that underestimating communities’ capacity to rebuild their own houses and villages and the failure to recognise the inherent functionality of local housing and building culture often entail not only missing the opportunity to enhance their resilience but also, in some cases, may lead to increasing their vulnerability. Originality/value – This paper presents a rare example of longitudinal research, calling attention to the long-term impacts of post-disaster reconstruction. It is of particular interest to scholars and humanitarian agencies concerned about the social consequences of relocation and reconstruction after natural disasters.

Evaluation of the influence of ambient air temperature and air velocity on mortar cement durability using a forced convection solar dryer

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Younes Bahammou ◽  
Mounir Kouhila ◽  
Haytem Moussaoui ◽  
Hamza Lamsyehe ◽  
Zakaria Tagnamas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Forced Convection ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Physical Significance ◽  
Drying Process ◽  
Air Velocity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ambient Air Temperature

PurposeThis work aims to study the hydrothermal behavior of mortar cement toward certain environmental factors (ambient air temperature and air velocity) based on its drying kinetics data. The objective is to provide a better understanding and controlling the stability of mortar structures, which integrate the sorption phenomenon, drying process, air pressure and intrinsic characteristics. This leads to predict the comportment of mortar structures in relation with main environmental factors and minimize the risk of cracking mortar structures at an early age.Design/methodology/approachThermokinetic study was carried out in natural and forced convection solar drying at three temperatures 20, 30 and 40°C and three air velocities (1, 3 and 5 m.s-1). The empirical and semiempirical models tested successfully describe the drying kinetics of mortar. These models simulate the drying process of water absorbed by capillarity, which is the most common humidity transfer mechanism in building materials and contain parameters with physical significance, which integrate the effect of several environmental factors and intrinsic characteristics of mortar structures.FindingsThe models simulate the drying process of water absorbed by capillarity, which is the most common humidity transfer mechanism in building materials and contain parameters with physical significance, which integrate the effect of several environmental factors and intrinsic characteristics of mortar structures. The average activation energy obtained expressed the temperature effect on the mortar diffusivity. The drying constant and the diffusion coefficient can be used to predict the influence of these environmental factors on the drying behavior of various building materials and therefore on their durability.Originality/valueEvaluation of the effect of several environmental factors and intrinsic characteristics of mortar structures on their durability.

Impact of social media usage on performance of construction businesses (CBs) in Abuja, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luqman Oyekunle Oyewobi ◽  
Olufemi Seth Olorunyomi ◽  
Richard Ajayi Jimoh ◽  
James Olabode Bamidele Rotimi
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Interest ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Many construction businesses are currently building and keeping social media pages for their enterprises to be visible to the public to improve their social interaction, promote business interest, build trust and relationships with their targeted audience on social media. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of social mediausage on performance of construction businesses (CBs) in Abuja, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative research approach by identifying constructs that reveal three aspects of organisation’s physiognomies that impact the process of espousing, implementing and using technological innovations in conducting businesses. Well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from 113 purposively sampled building materials’ merchant operating in Dei-Dei Market, Abuja, Nigeria. This study used partial least squares structural equation modelling technique to establish the relationship among the constructs. Findings The results of this study indicated that technology has significant relationship with social media adoption, whereas social media adoption has a very strong positive impact on organisation’s performance (P < 0.001) with respect to improved customer relations and services and enhanced information accessibility. Research limitations/implications This study has implications for CBs that wish to adopt social media to promote their businesses by presenting to them the opportunity to understand the impact of technology, environment and organisational potential in improving business performance. This study is cross-sectional in nature, and this calls for caution in interpreting the results. Originality/value This paper developed and tested a conceptual framework presented to understand the interrelationships amongst the constructs, which would be of great significance to business owners in developing their social interaction and promote business interest via social media. The outcome of this research is beneficial to researchers to further study how the different social media tools could help in influencing business decisions.

Factors limiting the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kofi Agyekum ◽  
Emmanuel Adinyira ◽  
James Anthony Oppon
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Material ◽  
Environmental Threats ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Government

PurposeThe increased awareness of global environmental threats like climate change has created an upsurge of interest in low embodied carbon building materials for green building delivery. Though the literature advocates for the use of hemp-based building materials, there is no evidence of studies to explore its potential use in Ghana. Therefore, this study explores the potential factors that limit the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was used to solicit the views of built environment professionals operating in construction, consulting and developer firms. The questions were developed through a comparative review of the related literature and complemented with a pilot review. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsOn the average, the majority of the respondents showed a moderate level of awareness of hemp and its related uses in the construction industry. Also, certain key factors like the perceived association of hemp with marijuana, lack of expertise in the production of hemp-related building materials, farmers not getting the needed clearance for the cultivation of hemp, lack of legislation by the government in the legalisation of hemp and the inadequate knowledge of consumers on the benefits of hemp-based building materials were identified as potential limitations to the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery.Originality/valueThe findings from this study provide insights into a less investigated area in sub-Saharan Africa and further provide new and additional information to the current state-of-the-art on the potential for the use of hemp in the building construction sector.

Developing an integrated framework for optimization of spatial requirements of construction equipment

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Hemalattha ◽  
R. Vidjeapriya
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Building Information Modelling ◽  
Actual Structure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Space Planning ◽  
Existing Structures ◽  
Building Information

PurposeThis study aims to develop a framework for optimizing the spatial requirements of the equipment in a construction site using a geographic information system (GIS).Design/methodology/approachAn ongoing construction project, an existing thermal powerplant in India, is considered to be the case study, and the corresponding construction activities were scheduled. The equipment spaces were defined for the scheduled activities in building information modelling (BIM), which was further imported to GIS to define the topology rules, validate and optimize the spatial requirements. The BIM simulates the indoor environment, which includes the actual structure being constructed, and the GIS helps in modelling the outdoor environment, which includes the existing structures, temporary facilitates, topography of the site, etc.; thus, this study incorporates the knowledge of BIM in a geospatial environment to obtain optimized equipment spaces for various activities.FindingsSpace in construction projects is to be considered as a resource as well as a constraint, which is to be modelled and planned according to the requirements. The integration of BIM and GIS for equipment space planning will enable precise identification of the errors in the equipment spaces defined and also result in fewer errors as possible. The integration has also eased the process of assigning the topology rules and validating the same, which otherwise is a tedious process.Originality/valueThe workspace for each activity will include the space of the equipment. But, in most of the previous works of workspace planning, only the labour space is considered, and the conflicts and congestions occurring due to the equipment were neglected. The planning of equipment spaces cannot be done based only on the indoor environment; it has to be carried out by considering the surroundings and topography of the site, which have not been researched extensively despite its importance.

scholarly journals The Fluorocycline TP-271 Is Efficacious in Models of Aerosolized Bacillus anthracis Infection in BALB/c Mice and Cynomolgus Macaques

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Trudy H. Grossman ◽  
Michael S. Anderson ◽  
Lindsay Drabek ◽  
Melanie Gooldy ◽  
Henry S. Heine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Anthracis ◽  
Protective Antigen ◽  
Day Treatment ◽  
Inhalation Exposure ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Average Dose ◽  
Once Daily ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cynomolgus Macaques ◽  
Observation Period

ABSTRACT The fluorocycline TP-271 was evaluated in mouse and nonhuman primate (NHP) models of inhalational anthrax. BALB/c mice were exposed by nose-only aerosol to Bacillus anthracis Ames spores at a level of 18 to 88 lethal doses sufficient to kill 50% of exposed individuals (LD50). When 21 days of once-daily dosing was initiated at 24 h postchallenge (the postexposure prophylaxis [PEP] study), the rates of survival for the groups treated with TP-271 at 3, 6, 12, and 18 mg/kg of body weight were 90%, 95%, 95%, and 84%, respectively. When 21 days of dosing was initiated at 48 h postchallenge (the treatment [Tx] study), the rates of survival for the groups treated with TP-271 at 6, 12, and 18 mg/kg TP-271 were 100%, 91%, and 81%, respectively. No deaths of TP-271-treated mice occurred during the 39-day posttreatment observation period. In the NHP model, cynomolgus macaques received an average dose of 197 LD50 of B. anthracis Ames spore equivalents using a head-only inhalation exposure chamber, and once-daily treatment of 1 mg/kg TP-271 lasting for 14 or 21 days was initiated within 3 h of detection of protective antigen (PA) in the blood. No (0/8) animals in the vehicle control-treated group survived, whereas all 8 infected macaques treated for 21 days and 4 of 6 macaques in the 14-day treatment group survived to the end of the study (56 days postchallenge). All survivors developed toxin-neutralizing and anti-PA IgG antibodies, indicating an immunologic response. On the basis of the results obtained with the mouse and NHP models, TP-271 shows promise as a countermeasure for the treatment of inhalational anthrax.

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