Search Results - (Author, Cooperation:G. L. Chew)

2014-01-11

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

0036-8075

1095-9203

Biology

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Computer Science

Medicine

Natural Sciences in General

Physics

Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; *Cell Movement ; Chemokine CXCL12/metabolism ; Frameshift Mutation ; Gastrulation/genetics/*physiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics/*metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; Zebrafish/*embryology/genetics/metabolism ; Zebrafish Proteins/genetics/*metabolism

1398-9995

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

Background: Exposure to fungi is often assessed by culturing floor dust or air samples. Our objective was to evaluate the relationships between dustborne and airborne fungi and to identify factors that modify these relationships.Methods: From November 1994 to September 1996 sequential duplicate 45-l air samples were collected in bedrooms of 496 homes in the Boston area, using a Burkard culture plate sampler. After air sampling, bedroom floors were sampled with a vacuum cleaner that was modified to collect dust in a cellulose extraction thimble. Dust was sieved, and the fine dust was dilution-plated onto DG-18 media.Results: Concentrations of total culturable fungi per gram of bedroom-floor dust were correlated weakly, but significantly, with those of indoor air (r = 0.13, P 〈 0.05). Concentrations of some individual taxa in the dust and indoor air were also weakly associated. Adjusting for the concentrations of fungi in outdoor air, dustborne fungal concentrations were positively associated with those in indoor air for the taxa Cladosporium and Penicillium, but not for total fungi. The indoor air fungal levels were often predicted by different covariates to those predicting fungal levels in dust. The type of housing (house or apartment) and the presence of carpeting were often predictive factors for dust fungi. In contrast, outdoor fungal levels were often predictive of the indoor air fungal levels.Conclusions: Because our data do not indicate a strong overall relationship between culturable fungi in dust and indoor air, the results from these two methods (dust and air sampling) likely represent different types of potential fungal exposures to residents. It may be essential to collect both air and dust samples, as well as information on housing characteristics, as indicators for fungal exposure.

Electronic Resource

1600-0668

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Architecture, Civil Engineering, Surveying

Medicine

Electronic Resource

1600-0668

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Architecture, Civil Engineering, Surveying

Medicine

Electronic Resource

1398-9995

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Medicine

Background:  Several epidemiology studies have found an increase in the major cockroach allergen Bla g 2 with reported pesticide use.Aims of the study:  Our aim was to investigate the effect on the excretion of Bla g 1 and Bla g 2 allergens by cockroaches exposed to sub-lethal doses of the pesticides, boric acid and hydramethylnon gel.Methods:  German cockroaches in separate colonies were fed either boric acid or hydramethylnon gel at concentrations of 0.2, 0.1 and 0.01% in their water supply over a 2 week period. Ten colonies were exposed to each treatment concentration. Bla g 1 and Bla g 2 in fecal pellets were measured by ELISA.Results:  Cockroaches exposed to boric acid excreted fecal pellets with significantly higher concentrations of Bla g 2 (35 400 U/g) than did controls (12 700 U/g) (P = 0.001). Bla g 1 concentrations were not significantly different. There was no difference in either Bla g 1 or Bla g 2 concentrations between cockroaches that ingested hydramethylnon gel and those in the controls colonies.Conclusions:  The application of boric acid, a common pesticide, appears to paradoxically increase the production of Bla g 2, a major allergen, by the surviving cockroaches. This may have important implications in avoidance strategies.

Electronic Resource