Indoor air quality in a home improvement store: gaseous pollutants, bioburden and particle-bound chemical constituents

The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020, UIDB/50017/2020 and LAP/0094/2020), to SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2020), to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020), to CeDRI (UIDB/05757/2020 and UIDP/05757/2020), and also financial support to PhD fellow students Leonardo Furst (SFRH/BD/08461/2020) and Yago Cipoli (SFRH/BD/04992/2021). The authors would like to express their gratitude towards Bianca Gomes, Renata Cervantes, and Pedro Pena from the Health & Technology Research Center (H&TRC - ESTeSL) for their valuable contributions to the microorganism analysis in this work.Ensuring good air quality is essential for safeguarding human health, requiring monitoring to comprehend air composition and formulate effective interventions. This study focused on indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring within a home improvement and gardening franchise store in northeastern Portugal. Real-time optical monitors recorded levels of particulate matter below 10 µm (PM10), while PM10 gravimetric sampling was performed to analyse carbonaceous constituents and metal(loid)s. Continuous monitoring also included CO2 and comfort parameters. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), bacteria, and fungi were passively sampled. During labour hours, indoor PM10 concentrations exceeded the national protection threshold, reaching 45.4 ± 15.2 μg/m3, compared to 27.1 ± 9.96 μg/m3 outdoors. The presence of elements from tyre and brake wear and road dust resuspension suggested that outdoor particles were mainly from non-exhaust traffic emissions. Indoors, the abundance of soil-related elements points to the resuspension of mineral dust as an important source of PM10. Also, anthropogenic constituents associated with activities (e.g., wood sawing) and products sold in the store contributed to indoor particle levels. Dominant indoor VOCs were α-pinene, limonene, and hexanal. The most abundant elements in PM10 indoors were Ca, Fe and Zn, with values of 658 ± 297, 273 ± 141, 172 ± 67.4 ng/m3, respectively. Common fungi included Trichoderma sp. and Penicillium sp., while colony-forming bacterial units were most prevalent in the gardening and heating sections. This comprehensive study highlights the need to implement indoor air quality monitoring strategies in commercial spaces, particularly with regard to particulate matter and associated pollutants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global gene expression of Poncirus trifoliata, Citrus sunki and their hybrids under infection of Phytophthora parasitica

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Gummosis and root rot caused by <it>Phytophthora </it>are among the most economically important diseases in citrus. Four F₁resistant hybrids (Pool R), and four F₁susceptible hybrids (Pool S) to <it>P. parasitica</it>, were selected from a cross between susceptible <it>Citrus sunki </it>and resistant <it>Poncirus trifoliata </it>cv. Rubidoux. We investigated gene expression in pools of four resistant and four susceptible hybrids in comparison with their parents 48 hours after <it>P. parasitica </it>inoculation. We proposed that genes differentially expressed between resistant and susceptible parents and between their resistant and susceptible hybrids provide promising candidates for identifying transcripts involved in disease resistance. A microarray containing 62,876 UniGene transcripts selected from the CitEST database and prepared by NimbleGen Systems was used for analyzing global gene expression 48 hours after infection with <it>P. parasitica</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three pairs of data comparisons (<it>P. trifoliata</it>/<it>C. sunki</it>, Pool R/<it>C. sunki </it>and Pool R/Pool S) were performed. With a filter of false-discovery rate less than 0.05 and fold change greater than 3.0, 21 UniGene transcripts common to the three pairwise comparative were found to be up-regulated, and 3 UniGene transcripts were down-regulated. Among them, our results indicated that the selected transcripts were probably involved in the whole process of plant defense responses to pathogen attack, including transcriptional regulation, signaling, activation of defense genes participating in HR, single dominant genes (<it>R gene</it>) such as TIR-NBS-LRR and RPS4 and switch of defense-related metabolism pathway. Differentially expressed genes were validated by RT-qPCR in susceptible and resistant plants and between inoculated and uninoculated control plants</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Twenty four UniGene transcripts were identified as candidate genes for <it>Citrus </it>response to <it>P. parasitica</it>. UniGene transcripts were likely to be involved in disease resistance, such as genes potentially involved in secondary metabolite synthesis, intracellular osmotic adjustment, signal transduction pathways of cell death, oxidative burst and defense gene expression. Furthermore, our microarray data suggest another type of resistance in <it>Citrus</it>-<it>Phytophthora </it>interaction conferred by single dominant genes (<it>R gene</it>) since we encountered two previously reported <it>R genes </it>(TIR-NBS-LRR and RPS4) upregulated in the resistant genotypes relative to susceptible. We identified 7 transcripts with homology in other plants but yet unclear functional characterization which are an interesting pool for further analyses and 3 transcripts where no significant similarity was found. This is the first microarray study addressing an evaluation of transcriptional changes in response to <it>P. parasitica </it>in <it>Citrus</it>.</p

D-loop haplotype diversity in brazilian horse breeds

The first horses were brought to Brazil by the colonizers after 1534. Over the centuries, these animals evolved and adapted to local environmental conditions usually unsuitable for exotic breeds, thereby originating locally adapted Brazilian breeds. The present work represents the first description of maternal genetic diversity in these horse breeds based on D-loop sequences. A D-Loop HSV-I fragment of 252 bp, from 141 horses belonging to ten Brazilian breeds / genetic groups (locally adapted and specialized breeds) were analysed. Thirty-five different haplotypes belonging to 18 haplogroups were identified with 33 polymorphic sites. Haplotype diversity (varying from 0.20 to 0.96) and nucleotide diversity (varying from 0.0039 to 0.0239) was lower for locally adapted than for specialized breeds, with the same pattern observed for FST values. Haplogroups identified in Brazilian breeds are in agreement with previous findings in South American samples. The low variability observed mainly in locally adapted breeds, indicates that, to ensure conservation of these breeds, careful reproductive management is needed. Additional genetic characterization studies are required to support accurate decision-making

Efficiency of threonine utilization in the growing pigs

ABSTRACT Objective. This study aimed to determine the marginal efficiency of threonine utilization in growing pigs by using the nitrogen balance technique. Materials and methods. Twelve castrated pigs with an average live weight of 72±2 kg were housed in metabolic cages maintained in a temperature controlled room of 22±3°C. The treatments consisted of four diets calculated to meet 30, 45, 60 and 70% of the nutritional requirements of standardized ileal digestible threonine. The amino acids others than threonine were maintained at least 15% above threonine requirements, expressed in terms of ideal levels. The amount of feed supplied was calculate to provide 2.6 times the metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance and adjusted daily according to an expected daily gain rate of 0.8 kg. Results. Pigs consumed 1.65 g kg-1 BW0.75 nitrogen daily, on average and 61% was retained and, as a result, 39% was excreted, being 31% through the feces and the remainder (69%) in the urine. The pigs showed a linear retention of threonine in response to the increase of standardized threonine intake. For each gram of standardized threonine intake 0.37 g were lost during the metabolism. Conclusions. It is concluded that for calculating nutritional requirements of standardized threonine of pigs by the factorial method, it is possible to use the utilization marginal efficiency of 0.63. RESUMEN Objetivo. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la eficiencia marginal del uso de treonina para cerdos en fase de crecimiento, por medio de la técnica de balance de nitrógeno. Material y métodos. Fueron utilizados doce cerdos machos castrados con peso promedio de 72±2 kg alojados en jaulas metabólicas climatizadas a una temperatura ambiente de 22±3°C. Los tratamientos consistieron en cuatro dietas calculadas para 30, 45, 60 y 70% de las necesidades nutricionales de treonina digestible estandarizada. Los demás aminoácidos se añadieron a las dietas para lograr una proporción de al menos 15% de sus necesidades expresadas con relación a la treonina. La cantidad de alimento proporcionado se calculó para suministrar 2.6 veces la energía metabolizable y ajustada todos los dias, según una tasa de ganancia media diaria de 0.8 kg. Resultados. Los cerdos consumieron 1.65 g kg-1 PV0.75 de nitrógeno por dia. En promedio 61% de nitrógeno ingerido se conservó y 39% fue excretado por el animal. El 31% se excretó en las heces y el resto (69%) en la orina. Los cerdos mostraron una retención lineal de treonina, con relación al aumento en la ingesta de treonina digestible estandarizada. Por cada gramo de treonina digestible estandarizada ingerido 0.37 g se perdieron durante el metabolismo. Conclusiones. Se concluye que, para el cálculo de las necesidades nutricionales de treonina digestible estandarizada para cerdos por método factorial, es posible utilizar la eficiencia marginal del uso de treonina a 0.63.  

Disease awareness campaigns in printed and online media in Latvia : Cross-sectional study on consistency with WHO ethical criteria for medicinal drug promotion and European standards

Funding Information: Teresa Leonardo Alves declares no conflicts of interest. She has worked in the past for not-for-profit organizations which have advocated against the relaxation of the direct-to-consumer advertising ban in the European Union, namely Prescrire (2012–2016) and Health Action International (2006–2011). Elita Poplavska is a board member of not-for-profit organizations - Health Projects for Latvia and Health Action International (which aim to promote rational use of medicines and reduce influence of pharmaceutical advertisement). Signe Mezinska is a board member of not-for-profit organizations - Health Projects for Latvia and Health Action International (which aim to promote rational use of medicines and reduce influence of pharmaceutical advertisement). Ieva Salmane-Kulikovska declares no conflicts of interest. Liga Andersone declares no conflicts of interest. Aukje Mantel-Teeuwisse is the Managing Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy & Regulation, which receives no direct funding or donations from private parties, including the pharmaceutical industry. Research funding from public-private partnerships, e.g. IMI, Lygature (https://www.lygature.org), is accepted under the condition that no company-specific product or company-related study is conducted. The Centre has received unrestricted research funding from public sources, e.g. Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMW), Zorg Instituut Nederland (ZIN), the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB), and the Dutch Ministry of Health. Barbara Mintzes has acted as an expert witness on behalf of plaintiffs in a Canadian class action suit on cardiovascular risks of testosterone therapy. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 The Author(s).Background: European legislation prohibits direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medicines, but allows drug manufacturers to provide information to the public on health and diseases. Our aim was to measure the frequency of disease awareness campaigns in Latvian media and assess their compliance with international and European standards. Methods: Materials on health/disease and treatments were collected between April and September 2015 from 12 newspapers and magazines and six online portals. Disease awareness campaigns were assessed using a previously developed instrument based on the WHO Ethical Criteria for Medicinal Drug promotion and European standards (EU law and pharmaceutical industry self-regulatory guidelines). Collected materials were used to examine the information provided on medical conditions and their diagnosis and treatment. The inter-rater reliability was calculated. Results: We collected 263 materials from print (n = 149) and online media (n = 114); 94 were news items and 169 were disease-awareness advertisements. Cancer, cardiovascular problems, allergies and respiratory diseases were common topics. Of the 157 campaigns assessed, non-compliance was identified in 149 cases (inter-rater reliability 90%), mainly due to misleading or incomplete information, lack of balance and the absence of a listed author/sponsor. Six disease awareness campaigns directly mentioned a pharmaceutical product by brand name and other four included the logo or name of a manufacturer, referred to a condition and indirectly mentioned a treatment, all in contravention with European law. Conclusions: The compliance of disease awareness campaigns in Latvian media with international and European standards is low. This raises concerns about the nature of information being conveyed. Through lack of balance, missing sponsorship information, and misleading or incomplete information, these campaigns could contribute to inaccurate self-diagnosis and generate demand among those who might not need medical treatment.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Measurement of the t(t)over-bar production cross section in the dilepton channel in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV

The top-antitop quark (t (t) over bar) production cross section is measured in proton-proton collisions at root s = 8 TeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.3 fb(-1). The measurement is performed by analysing events with a pair of electrons or muons, or one electron and one muon, and at least two jets, one of which is identified as originating from hadronisation of a bottom quark. The measured cross section is 239 +/- 2 (stat.) +/- 11 (syst.) +/- 6 (lum.) pb, for an assumed top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV, in agreement with the prediction of the standard model

Whole-genome sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis 262 biovar equi isolated from cow milk

We report the complete genome sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis 262, isolated from a bovine host. C. pseudotuberculosis is an etiological agent of diseases with medical and veterinary relevance. The genome contains 2,325,749 bp, 52.8% G C content, 2,022 coding sequences (CDS), 50 pseudogenes, 48 tRNAs, and 12 rRNAs