Analysis of fungal air pollution using different samplers

The aim of this study was the analysis of fungal air pollution in different rooms using different the air samplers. Air for mycological studies was collected from various hospital rooms. To monitor fungal air pollution were used samplers: SAS SUPER 100 (pbi-international), MAS 100 (Merck) and AIR IDEAL (BioMerieux). We found differences in CFU/L values in depending on hospital room and the air sampler type. The CFU/L values of air samples taken by the AIR IDEAL ranged from 350 to 850 and (724.2 ± 159.9), and the CFU/L values of air samples taken by the sampler SAS SUPER 100 ranged from 160 to 800 (455.3 ± 250.73). The CFU/L values of air samples taken by the MAS 100 sampler varied from 50 to 1340 (302.5±56.6) From the air samples of both samplers was incubated 6 genera/species of fungi. Candia albicans fungi species and genus Penicillium species were most frequently isolated from SAS Super 100 sampler, and Penicillium species from the AIR IDEAL sampler. From the air samples of MAS 100 was isolated 11 types/species of fungi and in air samples of SAS Super 100 was isolated 7 types/species. Significant differences of CFU/L values in the tested rooms were found in depending on the used sampler. Mycological analysis of the obtained cultures from air samples suggests that there is not same isolation of fungi using the different samplers

Colored Spin Systems, BKP Evolution and finite N_c effects

Even within the framework of the leading logarithmic approximation the eigenvalues of the BKP kernel for states of more than three reggeized gluons are unknown in general, contrary to the planar limit case where the problem becomes integrable. We consider a 4-gluon kernel for a finite number of colors and define some simple toy models for the configuration space dynamics, which are directly solvable with group theoretical methods. Then we study the dependence of the spectrum of these models with respect to the number of colors and make comparisons with the large limit case.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, references update, to appear on EPJ

The spin dependence of high energy proton scattering

Motivated by the need for an absolute polarimeter to determine the beam polarization for the forthcoming RHIC spin program, we study the spin dependence of the proton-proton elastic scattering amplitudes at high energy and small momentum transfer.We examine experimental evidence for the existence of an asymptotic part of the helicity-flip amplitude phi_5 which is not negligible relative to the largely imaginary average non-flip amplitude phi_+. We discuss theoretical estimates of r_5, essentially the ratio of phi_5 to phi_+, based upon extrapolation of low and medium energy Regge phenomenological results to high energies, models based on a hybrid of perturbative QCD and non-relativistic quark models, and models based on eikonalization techniques. We also apply the model-independent methods of analyticity and unitarity.The preponderence of evidence at available energy indicates that r_5 is small, probably less than 10%. The best available experimental limit comes from Fermilab E704:those data indicate that |r_5|<15%. These bounds are important because rigorous methods allow much larger values. In contradiction to a widely-held prejudice that r_5 decreases with energy, general principles allow it to grow as fast as ln(s) asymptotically, and some models show an even faster growth in the RHIC range. One needs a more precise measurement of r_5 or to bound it to be smaller than 5% in order to use the classical Coulomb-nuclear interference technique for RHIC polarimetry. As part of this study, we demonstrate the surprising result that proton-proton elastic scattering is self-analysing, in the sense that all the helicity amplitudes can, in principle, be determined experimentally at small momentum transfer without a knowledge of the magnitude of the beam and target polarization

Instantons and the infrared behavior of the fermion propagator in the Schwinger Model

Fermion propagator of the Schwinger Model is revisited from the point of view of its infrared behavior. The values of anomalous dimensions are found in arbitrary covariant gauge and in all contributing instanton sectors. In the case of a gauge invariant, but path dependent propagator, the exponential dependence, instead of power law one, is established for the special case when the path is a straight line. The leading behavior is almost identical in any sector, differing only by the slowly varying, algebraic prefactors. The other kind of the gauge invariant function, which is the amplitude of the dressed Dirac fermions, may be reduced, by the appropriate choice of the dressing, to the gauge variant one, if Landau gauge is imposed.Comment: 9 pages, in REVTE

Analysis of fungal pathogens in the environment of Branicki Palace in Białystok, Poland

Introduction:People spend about 90% of their time indoors. Most health problems associated with indoor air quality are caused by fungi. It is estimated fungi account for 70% of total indoor air microbial pollution.Purpose: To analyze fungal pathogens isolated from indoor air of Branicki Palace in Białystok, PolandMaterials and methods:The research mycological material consisted of air collected from various rooms in Branicki Palace. Humidity and temperature of the tested rooms were also measured. The monitoring of airborne fungi pollution was done using a SAS SUPER 100 (pbi international) with international measure standards (EN 50081-1, EN 500 50082-1). Biological monitoring of wall surface contamination was performed using the Count-Tact applicator with Count-Tact plates.Results:A total of 1140 CFU per m3 of air were cultured in autumn and 580 CFU in winter. From the walls, a total of 124 CFU were cultured in autumn and 397 CFU in winter. CFU values in the investigated rooms ranged from 10 to 220 (mean 47 CFU) in autumn, and from 10 to 90 (mean 29 CFU) in winter. The most commonly isolated pathogens were: Candida albicans, Aspergillus sp.,non-Candida albicans, andPenicillium sp.. The number of colonies isolated from the walls of all rooms in winter was greater than in autumn. The most commonly isolated pathogens were: Aspergillus sp. andC. albicans in autumn; C. albicans and non-C. albicans in winter.Conclusions:In winter, the number of colonies isolated from walls in all rooms was significantly greater compared with autumn. Candida albicans, Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. were the most commonly isolated fungal air pathogens, regardless of season. C. albicans and Aspergillus sp. were most commonly isolated from walls in autumn, while C. albicans and non-C.albicans in winter

EFFECTS OF 33% GRAPEFRUIT EXTRACT ON THE GROWTH OF THE YEAST - LIKE FUNGI, DERMATOPYTES AND MOULDS

Grapefruit seed extract was discovered by Jacob Harich an american immunologist in 1980. Assessment of the influence of grapefruit extract on the yeast-like fungi strains - Candida albicans growth. Material used in this investigation was ATCC test Candida albicans strains no 10231, 200 of Candida albicans strains, 5 of Candida sp. strains isolated from patients with candidiasis symptoms from different ontocenosis and 12 of dermatophytes and moulds isolated from patients. The susceptibility of the Candida was determined by serial dilution method. It seems that 33% grapefruit extract exert a potent antifungal activity against the yeast like fungi strains and had low activity against dermatophytes and moulds. Further studies in vitro and in vivo on greater number of the yeast-like fungi strains and other fungi species are needed

Indoor air studies of fungi contamination in two kindergartens in Kavala, Greece

Introduction: Fungi and moulds are biological hazards that are ubiquitous both in the communal and occupational environments. The aim of the study was to assess the presence of airborne fungi in two kindergartens in Kavala, Greece. Materials and methods: Materials for the tests were: the air samples (in front of the buildings and the selected rooms) of the two kindergartens. The first Kavala kindergarten was located atop a hill and the second in the city center. The air pollution was determined using SAS SUPER 100. Results: The mean number of fungal colonies isolated from air of the kindergarten rooms in the city center was 478.3±148.4 CFU/m3. The mean number of fungal colonies isolated from air of the kindergarten on the hill was 343.6±188.8 CFU/m3. Aspergillus niger was most frequently isolated in air samples from the kindergarten rooms in the city center, while Penicillium species predominated the kindergarten rooms on the hill. CFU values in the air samples outside the kindergartens were higher in the center than on the hill of Kavala. CFU values of the examined air samples are varied. In the kindergarten rooms in the center of Kavala the most frequently isolated species was Aspergillus niger, and in the kindergarten on the hill it was Penicillium species. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated considerable numbers of fungi in the air in two kindergartens in Kavala, Greece

Enzymatic activity and biotypes of Candida fungi isolated from the surfaces of mobile phones and hands

Introduction: The secretion of hydrolytic enzymes is a factor facilitating pathogenic fungi invasion into the tissues. Purpose: To assess hydrolytic activity and biotypes of Candida strains isolated from samples collected from the surfaces of mobile phones and the hands of their owners. Materials and methods: The study included 175 mobile telephones and hands. The API ZYM test was used to assess enzymatic activity; biotyping was performed according to Williamson’s classification. Results: Among the strains isolated from hand surfaces, the highest activity was shown for C. albicans (acid phosphatase, esterase), C. glabrata (leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, esterase), and C. krusei (acid phosphatase). Of the strains isolated from phone surfaces, the highest activity was shown for C. albicans (leucine arylamidase, acid phosphatase), C. glabrata (esterase, leucine arylamidase, esterase lipase), and C. krusei (acid phosphatase). Biotypes G, B and F were dominant for all types of fungi, both for strains isolated from phones and hand surfaces. Additionally, biotype A was dominant for C. krusei. Conclusions: C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. krusei showed activity for all hydrolytic enzymes. The strongest correlation between the hydrolytic activity of fungi isolated from hand and phone surfaces was shown for C. albicans