Microbial community profiles for the mock community. 16 S libraries were normalized to 900 sequences and 97% OTUs were consolidated at the genus level.

<p>The nine genera comprising the mock community are marked in black italics, while the starred genera in grey italics correspond to contaminants.</p

Average weighted Unifrac distances with standard error.

<p>Distances for the mock community are presented in (A) and for BAL samples in (B). Significant differences were evaluated using non-parametric exact Mann-Whitney U tests.</p

Examination of contaminants in the mock community.

<p>(A) Relationship between DNA yield and percent of contaminating genera in the mock community. The equation for a power law regression with coefficient of determination are presented in the inset. (B) Relative abundances of known mock community and spurious (contaminating) genera in mock community profiles. Asterisks indicate data points which represent more than one genus.</p

Principal components analysis based on weighted Unifrac distances for BAL samples and mock community extracted using five different extraction methods.

<p>CF samples processed with DTT (Sputasol) are not included.</p

Comparison of DNA extraction methods.

<p>Comparison of DNA extraction methods.</p

Microbial community profiles for BAL samples.

<p>16 S libraries were normalized to 400 sequences and 97% OTUs were consolidated at the genus level. Red boxes indicate genera previously cultured during routine microbiology. Samples processed with DTT (Sputasol) are labeled in blue. Community profiles including all sequences are presented in (A), and profiles excluding sequences at less than 0.6% relative abundance are presented in (B).</p

Ratio of the mean of the normalised aerosol concentrations produced when using the TARDIS-rotator to that when using the TARDIS-tunnel.

<p>Ratio of the mean of the normalised aerosol concentrations produced when using the TARDIS-rotator to that when using the TARDIS-tunnel.</p

Mean DF Normalised (undiluted breath) cough aerosol number concentrations for particles of 1 μm in diameter and larger in subjects S1, S2 and a previously studied group of 15 healthy volunteers [8, 16].

<p>Mean DF Normalised (undiluted breath) cough aerosol number concentrations for particles of 1 μm in diameter and larger in subjects S1, S2 and a previously studied group of 15 healthy volunteers [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0158763#pone.0158763.ref008" target="_blank">8</a>, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0158763#pone.0158763.ref016" target="_blank">16</a>].</p

Relationship between respiratory aerosol and instrumentation size ranges and bacterium and virus dimensions.

<p>Only the ACI and OPC techniques were employed in the current study.</p

Summary of findings concerning <i>P</i>. <i>aeruginosa</i> laden cough aerosol from the two subjects.

<p>Summary of findings concerning <i>P</i>. <i>aeruginosa</i> laden cough aerosol from the two subjects.</p