scholarly journals Analysis of culturable airborne fungi in outdoor environments in Tianjin, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumna Nageen ◽  
Michael Dare Asemoloye ◽  
Sergei Põlme ◽  
Xiao Wang ◽  
Shihan Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Outdoor Environments

Abstract Background Fungal spores dispersed in the atmosphere may become cause of different pathological conditions and allergies for human beings. A number of studies have been performed to analyze the diversity of airborne fungi in different environments worldwide, and in particular in many urban areas in China. We investigated, for the first time, the diversity, concentration and distribution of airborne fungi in Tianjin city. We sampled 8 outdoor environments, using open plate method, during a whole winter season. Isolated fungi were identified by morphological and molecular analysis. Environmental factors which could influence the airborne fungi concentration (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and air pressure) were monitored and analyzed. The effect of different urban site functions (busy areas with high traffic flow and commercial activities vs. green areas) on airborne fungal diversity was also analyzed. Results A total of 560 fungal strains, belonging to 110 species and 49 genera of Ascomycota (80 %), Basidiomycota (18 %), and Mucoromycota (2 %) were isolated in this study. The dominant fungal genus was Alternaria (22 %), followed by Cladosporium (18.4 %), Naganishia (14.1 %), Fusarium (5.9 %), Phoma (4.11 %), and Didymella (4.8 %). A fungal concentration ranging from 0 to 3224.13 CFU m− 3 was recorded during the whole study. Permutational multivariate analysis showed that the month was the most influential factor for airborne fungal community structure, probably because it can be regarded as a proxy of environmental variables, followed by wind speed. The two analyzed environments (busy vs. green) had no detectable effect on the air fungal community, which could be related to the relatively small size of parks in Tianjin and/or to the study season. Conclusions Our study shed light on the highly diverse community of airborne fungi characterizing the outdoor environments of Tianjin, and clarified the role that different environmental factors played in shaping the analyzed fungal community. The dominant presence of fungi with potential hazardous effect on human health, such as Alternaria, Cladosporium and Naganishia, deserves further attention. Our results may represent a valuable source of information for air quality monitoring, microbial pollution control, and airborne diseases prevention.

scholarly journals Quantifying the Contributions of Environmental Factors to Wind Characteristics over 2000–2019 in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 515
Author(s):  
Yuming Lu ◽  
Bingfang Wu ◽  
Nana Yan ◽  
Weiwei Zhu ◽  
Hongwei Zeng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Sunshine Duration ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Human Beings

Global climate change and human activities have resulted in immense changes in the Earth’s ecosystem, and the interaction between the land surface and the atmosphere is one of the most important processes. Wind is a reference for studying atmospheric dynamics and climate change, analyzing the wind speed change characteristics in historical periods, and studying the influence of wind on the Earth-atmosphere interaction; additionally, studying the wind, contributes to analyzing and alleviating a series of problems, such as the energy crisis, environmental pollution, and ecological deterioration facing human beings. In this study, data from 697 meteorological stations in China from 2000 to 2019 were used to study the distribution and trend of wind speed over the past two decades. The relationships between wind speed and climate factors were explored using statistical methods; furthermore, combined with terrain, climate change, and human activities, we quantified the contribution of environmental factors to wind speed. The results show that a downward trend was recorded before 2011, but overall, there was an increasing trend that was not significant; moreover, the wind speed changes showed obvious seasonality and were more complicated on the monthly scale. The wind speed trend mainly increased in the western region, decreased in the eastern region, was higher in the northeastern, northwestern, and coastal areas, and was lower in the central area. Temperature, bright sunshine duration, evaporation, and precipitation had a strong influence, in which wind speed showed a significant negative correlation with temperature and precipitation and vice versa for sunshine and evapotranspiration. The influence of environmental factors is diverse, and these results could help to develop environmental management strategies across ecologically fragile areas and improve the design of wind power plants to make better use of wind energy.

scholarly journals Qualitative Analysis of Indoor and Outdoor Airborne Fungi in Cowshed

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Pavan ◽  
K. Manjunath
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Petri Dish ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Malt Extract ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Outdoor Area ◽  
Monthly Incidence ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Air pollution is one of the most serious problems to human health. Fungi are the causal agents for different diseases in animals, plants, and human beings. Otomycosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, allergy, and systemic mycosis are among the fungal diseases caused. The present study was conducted to analyze the monthly incidence of airborne fungi, seasonal variation, and influence of meteorological parameters in indoor and outdoor fungi of cowshed at Hesaraghatta village, Bangalore. An aeromycological survey of indoor and outdoor area of cowshed at Hesaraghatta village in Bangalore city was carried out using the Andersen two-stage sampler onto a petri dish containing malt extract agar from January 2011 to December 2011. Altogether, 29 species belonging to 13 genera from indoor and 26 species belonging to 12 genera were recorded from outdoor environment of the cowshed; the dominant fungal species identified were Cladosporium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Alternaria alternata. Seasonal occurrence of fungal spores in both indoor and outdoor of the cowshed revealed that maximum spores were recorded in summer season followed by winter and rainy season.

scholarly journals Ultra-High-Resolution Monitoring of the Catchment Response to Changing Weather Conditions Using Online Sediment Trapping

Quaternary ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Johansson ◽  
Saija Saarni ◽  
Jouni Sorvari
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Sediment Flux ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Lake Basin ◽  
Flux Rate ◽  
Sediment Trapping

The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between meteorological and hydrological observations and sediment flux rate changes, in order to better understand catchment dynamics. The meteorological and hydrological observations included local air temperature, wind speed, water temperature, and ice cover, while the sediment flux rate was observed in the lake basin using a modified sediment trap technique. This study demonstrates the advantages of a new online methodology applied in conventional sediment trapping to obtain flux rate information with daily resolution. A prototype of a high-resolution online sediment trap was tested in Savilahti Bay, Lake Kallavesi, eastern Finland, during the period from 22 October 2017 to 6 October 2018. The daily resolutions of meteorological, hydrological, and sediment flux rate data were analyzed using statistical methods. The results indicate relationships between temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and sediment flux rate, but the urban site also showed erosional changes due to anthropogenic land use. Sediment flux ceased during winter season and spring floods were recorded as pronounced peaks in sediment flux, while the growing season showed generally higher sediment accumulation rates. This research also provides valuable information on the catchment response to short-term weather events. The influence of a storm led to larger sediment flux for several days. The importance of wind speed and frost formation on sedimentation, which has been difficult to address due to trap deployment times of typically several months, is now supported. Used together with varved sediment archives, online sediment trapping will facilitate the interpretation of paleoclimatic proxy records and modeling of detailed weather and erosion conditions that are related to climate change.

scholarly journals First Speleomycological Study on the Occurrence of Psychrophilic and Psychrotolerant Aeromycota in the Brestovská Cave (Western Tatras Mts., Slovakia) and First Reports for Some Species at Underground Sites

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 497
Author(s):  
Rafał Ogórek ◽  
Mateusz Speruda ◽  
Justyna Borzęcka ◽  
Agata Piecuch ◽  
Magdalena Cal
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Biological Material ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Cold Adapted ◽  
First Report

Most underground ecosystems are heterotrophic, fungi in these objects are dispersed in the air in the form of spores, and they may be potentially hazardous to mammals. Research in underground sites has focused on mesophilic airborne fungi and only a few concerned cold-adapted species. Therefore, the goal of our research was the first report of psychrophilic and psychrotolerant aeromycota in the Brestovská Cave using culture-based techniques with genetic and phenotypic identification. Plates with PDA medium containing sampled biological material were incubated at 8 ± 0.5 °C. The density of mycobiota inside the cave ranged from 37.4 to 71 CFU 1 m−3 of air and 63.3 CFU 1 m−3 of air outside the cave. Thus, the level of fungal spores did not exceed the standards for the mycological quality of the air. A total of 18 species were isolated during the study, and some species may be potentially dangerous to people with weakened immune system. All fungal species were present inside the cave and only seven of them were outside. Cladosporium cladosporioides dominated in the external air samples and Mortierella parvispora was cultured most frequently from internal air samples. To our knowledge, this is the first discovery of the fungal species such as Coniothyrium pyrinum, Cystobasidium laryngis, Filobasidium wieringae, Leucosporidium drummii, M. parvispora, Mrakia blollopis, Nakazawaea holstii, and Vishniacozyma victoriae in the air inside the underground sites. Moreover, C. pyrinum, C. laryngis, L. drummii, M. blollopis, and N. holstii have never been detected in any component of the underground ecosystems. There are possible reasons explaining the detection of those species, but global warming is the most likely.

scholarly journals Diversity, Concentration and Dynamics of Culturable Fungal Bioaerosols at Doha, Qatar

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Raghdaa K. Fayad ◽  
Roda F. Al-Thani ◽  
Fatima A. Al-Naemi ◽  
Mohammed H. Abu-Dieyeh
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Gravimetric Method ◽  
Fungal Spore ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Airborne Fungi ◽  
Culture Collection ◽  
Colony Count ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Future Work

This research was conducted to investigate the dynamics of airborne fungi using viable culture collection and in respect to different abiotic variables, including seasonal and intra-diurnal variations. A gravimetric method was used to sample airborne fungal deposition on potato dextrose agar plates on alternate days, for a year between April 2015 to March 2016. From 176 settle plate exposures, a total of 1197 mould and 283 yeast colony-forming units (CFU), 21 genera and 62 species were retrieved. The highest fungal spore count was recorded in February 2016, whereas the lowest count occurred in August 2015. The main constituents of the fungal airspora were attributed to Cladosporium (60.2%), Aspergillus (10.4%), Fusarium (9.4%), Alternaria (8.5%), and Ganoderma spp. (2.3%). Temperature was negatively correlated with total colony count (r = −0.231, p ≤ 0.05) or species richness (r = −0.267, p ≤ 0.001), while wind speed was positively correlated with total colony count (r = 0.484, p ≤ 0.001) or species richness (r = 0.257, p ≤ −0.001). The highest dispersal of fungal spores was obtained at 18:00, whereas the lowest fungal spores release was recorded at 00:00 (midnight). There were no significant differences in species composition and richness of the airborne fungal population between two study sites, the Industrial area and Qatar University Campus. The count of Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. were significantly higher at the Industrial area site, which corresponds to a higher CO2 level than the Qatar University site. This study lays the foundation for future work to assess the implications of such aeromycological data on public health.

scholarly journals Composition, Sources, and Distribution of PM2.5 Saccharides in a Coastal Urban Site of China

Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengxin Xiao ◽  
Qiongzhen Wang ◽  
Xiaofei Qin ◽  
Guangyuan Yu ◽  
Congrui Deng
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Fungal Spores ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Haze Pollution ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
High Level

The characteristics of biogenic aerosols in an urban area were explored by determining the composition and temporal distribution of saccharides in PM2.5 in Shanghai. The total saccharides showed a wide range of 9.4 ng/m3 to 1652.9 ng/m3, with the averaged concentrations of 133.1 ng/m3, 267.5 ng/m3, 265.1 ng/m3, and 674.4 ng/m3 in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. The saccharides include anhydrosaccharides (levoglucosan and mannosan), which were higher in cold seasons due to the increased biomass burning; saccharide alcohols (mannitol, arabitol, sorbitol); and monosaccharides (fructose, glucose), which were more abundant in warm seasons and attributed to the biological emissions. Through positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis, four emission sources of saccharides were resolved, including biomass burning, fungal spores, plant decomposition, and pollen. Moreover, the process analysis of high concentrations of leveglucosan was conducted by backward trajectory and fire points. We found that concentrations of anhydrosaccharides were relatively stable under different pollution levels, while saccharide alcohols exhibited an obvious decrease with the concentration of PM2.5, indicating that biomass burning was not the core reason for heavy haze pollution. However, high level PM2.5 pollution might inhibit the effects of biological activities.

scholarly journals Surface gas pollutants in Lhasa, a highland city of Tibet – current levels and pollution implications

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 10721-10730 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Ran ◽  
W. L. Lin ◽  
Y. Z. Deji ◽  
B. La ◽  
P. M. Tsering ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Wind Direction ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Urban Site ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Low Wind Speed

Abstract. Through several years of development, the city of Lhasa has become one of the most populated and urbanized areas on the highest plateau in the world. In the process of urbanization, current and potential air quality issues have been gradually concerned. To investigate the current status of air pollution in Lhasa, various gas pollutants including NOx, CO, SO2, and O3, were continuously measured from June 2012 to May 2013 at an urban site (29.40° N, 91.08° E, 3650 m a.s.l.). The seasonal variations of primary gas pollutants exhibited a peak from November to January with a large variability. High mixing ratios of primary trace gases almost exclusively occurred under low wind speed and showed no distinct dependence on wind direction, implying local urban emissions to be predominant. A comparison of NO2, CO, and SO2 mixing ratios in summer between 1998 and 2012 indicated a significant increase in emissions of these gas pollutants and a change in their intercorrelations, as a result of a substantial growth in the demand of energy consumption using fossil fuels instead of previously widely used biomass. The pronounced diurnal double peaks of primary trace gases in all seasons suggested automobile exhaust to be a major emission source in Lhasa. The secondary gas pollutant O3 displayed an average diurnal cycle of a shallow flat peak for about 4–5 h in the afternoon and a minimum in the early morning. Nighttime O3 was sometimes completely consumed by the high level of NOx. Seasonally, the variations of O3 mixing ratios displayed a low valley in winter and a peak in spring. In autumn and winter, transport largely contributed to the observed O3 mixing ratios, given its dependence on wind speed and wind direction, while in spring and summer photochemistry played an important role. A more efficient buildup of O3 mixing ratios in the morning and a higher peak in the afternoon was found in summer 2012 than in 1998. An enhancement in O3 mixing ratios would be expected in the future and more attention should be given to O3 photochemistry in response to increasing precursor emissions in this area.

Assessment of influencer’s effects on customers’ online purchasing behavior in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-96
Author(s):  
Pham Minh ◽  
Dang Thao Yen ◽  
Ngo Thi Huong Quynh ◽  
Hoang Thi Hong Yen ◽  
Tran Thi Thanh Nga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Source Credibility ◽  
Sem Analysis ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Influential Factor ◽  
Purchasing Behavior ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Tam Model ◽  
The Impact

Today, the development of the Internet and social networks has changed the lives of human beings. The ability of these technologies to connect people in real-time expands the influence of some people in the community. Therefore, this study is conducted to test whether customers change purchasing behavior in online environments under the impact of those influencers by using Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study conducted a survey of 503 Vietnameses on Google Form from November 2020 to mid-January 2021. The collected data were analyzed using AMOS 24 with CB-SEM analysis method. The results showed a positive relationship between influencers and customers’ online purchasing behavior. More specifically, customers are more likely to buy online if they trust influencers and their advertisements. This is the most influential factor among the three influencer traits (as source credibility): trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness. A remarkable point in this study is that Vietnamese people are more concerned with perceived ease of use when buying online than other factors in the TAM model. This is the basis for businesses to implement influencer marketing strategies and improve the competitiveness of their online business.

scholarly journals Environmental shaping of the bacterial and fungal community in infant bed dust and correlations with the airway microbiota

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shashank Gupta ◽  
Mathis H. Hjelmsø ◽  
Jenni Lehtimäki ◽  
Xuanji Li ◽  
Martin Steen Mortensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Fungal Diversity ◽  
Environmental Exposures ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Healthy Development ◽  
Airway Microbiome ◽  
Sampling Season

Abstract Background From early life children are exposed to a multitude of environmental exposures, which may be of crucial importance for a healthy development. Here, the environmental microbiota may be of particular interest as it represents the interface between environmental factors and the child. As infants in modern societies spend a considerable amount of time indoors, we hypothesize that the indoor bed dust microbiota might be an important factor for the child and for the colonization of the early airway microbiome. To explore this hypothesis, we analysed the influence of environmental exposures on 577 dust samples from children’s beds (age 6 months) together with 542 airway samples (age 3 months) from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 cohort. Results The bed dust and airway microbiota were both profiled with bacterial amplicon sequencing while also fungal community was profiled from bed dust. Bacterial and fungal diversity in the dust was positively correlated. We observed that bacterial bed dust microbiota was influenced by multiple environmental factors, such as type of home (house or apartment), rural or urban living environment and pets (cat and/or dog), whereas fungal bed dust microbiota was majorly influenced by the sampling season. We further observed minor associations between bed dust and airway microbiota compositions among infants, but no evidence of transfer of individual taxa between the two departments. Conclusions Our finding demonstrate that bed dust microbiota is influenced by environmental exposures and could represent an interface between environment and child.

scholarly journals Environmental Factors Affecting the Diversity and Photosynthetic Pigments of Trentepohlia Species in Northern Thailand’s Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary

2020 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Santi Saraphol ◽  
Srunya Vajrodaya ◽  
Ekaphan Kraichak ◽  
Anchalee Sirikhachornkit ◽  
Nuttha Sanevas
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Photosynthetic Pigments ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Morphological Identification ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Total Carotenoids ◽  
Carotene Content ◽  
Factors Affecting

This study addressed the environmental factors that affect <em>Trentepohlia</em> spp. in the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary at altitudes of 399 to 1,503 meters above sea level (m a.s.l.) during the rainy, winter, and summer seasons. Species were identified using characteristic morphological identification. The influence of environmental factors on the algae was analyzed using a statistical program, and seasonal changes in the quantity of photosynthetic pigments in the dominant species were evaluated. The average relative humidity was 69.34 ± 12.90%, the average temperature was 26.23 ± 3.79 °C, and the average light intensity was 139.78 ± 42.21 µmol photon m<sup data-id="superscript-1">−2</sup> s<sup data-id="superscript-2">−1</sup>. Thirteen species were found: <em>Trentepohlia chapmanii</em>, <em>Trentepohlia</em> sp. 1, <em>Trentepohlia</em> sp. 2, <em>Trentepohlia sundarbanensis</em>, <em>Trentepohlia</em> sp. 3, <em>Trentepohlia rigidula</em>, <em>Trentepohlia</em> sp. 4, <em>Trentepohlia effusa</em>, <em>Trentepohlia monilia</em>, <em>Trentepohlia abietina</em>, <em>Trentepohlia</em> sp. 5, <em>Trentepohlia aurea</em>, and <em>Trentepohlia umbrina</em>. The largest number of species (seven to nine) were found at lower altitudes, from 473 to 517 m a.s.l. Species diversity was greatest in the winter season (13 species). Species found at low attitude were grouped together (Group 1) and had the greatest diversity, and the remaining species were divided into Groups 2, 3, and 4. Environmental factors had both positive and negative influences on the species, especially <em>T. chapmanii</em>, which was found below 1,003 m a.s.l., and <em>T. monilia</em>, which was found in areas with a high relative humidity of 74.50% to 83.93%. The ratio of the total carotenoids to chlorophyll of <em>T. rigidula</em>, the dominant species, was relatively high at 4.96:1, and the β-carotene content (46.89 %w/w) was highest during winter.

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