Fungal contamination in one hotel room: does carpet coating in the floor enhance fungal contamination?

Interest in bioaerosol exposure has increased significantly because it is now recognized that exposure to fungal agents is associated with a wide range of adverse health effects with a major impact on public health. Fungi are able to grow on almost all natural and synthetic materials, especially if they are hygroscopic or wet. Aim of the study: Several materials used indoors can contribute to enhance fungal contamination indoors. This study intended to understand the carpet influence on fungal contamination when used in the floor of a hotel room.

Fungal contamination in one hotel room: Does carpet coating in the floor enhance fungal contamination?

Study developed in order to know the carpet influence when used in the floor of a hotel room. Twelve air samples of 250L (six in a room with carpet and six more in a room with wood floor) were collected through an impaction method with a flow rate of 140 L/min onto malt extract agar (MEA) supplemented with chloramphenicol (0.05%), using the Millipore air Tester (Millipore), during cleaning activities. Outdoor sample was also performed to be used as a reference. Surface samples from floor and desks, taken at the same time, were collected by the swabbing method. to 7 days. Besides fungal contamination, we also assessed particulate matter contamination in both rooms during the same cleaning tasks. In the analyzed sur- faces, isolates belonging to Aspergillus fumigatus complex were the only fungi found in the carpeted room, whereas in the other room we found Penicllium sp. (63.6%) and Aspergillus sp. (13.6%) as the most frequent genera. In the case of particles the room with carpet obtained significant higher values for both metrics (PMC and PNC), showing that carpet may has influence on particles’ contamination of the room.

Erratum to "Optimization of resin extraction from an Australian arid grass 'Triodia pungens' and its preliminary evaluation as an anti-termite timber coating" [Ind. Crops Prod. 59 (2014) 241–247]

The publisher regrets to inform the readers that the image that is appearing for Fig. 8 is incorrect and that the Supplementary material is missing on the published paper. The correct image for Fig. 8 and the Supplementary files are provided below: Fig. 8. (a) Timber blocks covered by invented plastic container bottom open, (b) timber blocks in the field after trial, (c) and (d) comparison between resin-coated blocks without termite damage and control blocks which were severely damaged by termites.

Resistance of an epoxy coating with an organic inhibitor to cathodic disbondment in sea water

In this study, the effect of anti-corrosion inhibitor addition to epoxy coating, on the disbanding rate was evaluated. First to determination of mechanism, the bare steel substrates were immersed in the 3.5% NaCl solution and the solution containing 1 mM anti corrosion. The Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy was performed after 5 and 24 hour. The results indicated a lower corrosion rate in the presence of inhibitor. During the time, charge transfer resistance, was decreased for the substrates immersed in NaCl solution, and increased for the substrates immersed in NaCl solution containing 1 mM anti corrosion. This result can be related to more stability of corrosion products in presence of anti-corrosion and film formation. The coated substrates, with four different concentration of anticorrosion in coating, were protected under -1.2 voltage in the 3.5% NaCl solution. After 12 and 24 hour, the EIS test and disbanding area measurement, were evaluate. The lower disbanding rate, more charge transfer resistance and less double layer capacitance for the coating containing 0.75w% inhibitor, were observed. The result of Pull-off test after 1 day immersion in 3.5% NaCl solution, showed more wet adhesion for the coating containing 0.75w% inhibitor. The images of FE-SEM electron microscope and surface analyses EDX on the coated substrate after disbanding and the bare substrate immersed in 3.5w% NaCl containing 1 mM inhibitor, were proved the formation of stabilized film.

Coating bioattivi su zirconia per applicazioni in campo biomedicale: stato dell'arte e prospettive

I materiali bioceramici, in base alla loro capacità d’interazione con l’osso e i tessuti del corpo umano, possono essere classificati in bioinerti e bioattivi. I materiali bioinerti, una volta impiantati, formano uno strato fibroso, non aderente, all’interfaccia con l’osso. Tale strato è una forma naturale di protezione che l’organismo adotta per isolare il materiale che viene, inizialmente, percepito come estraneo. Al contrario, i materiali bioattivi, una volta impiantati, mostrano una risposta biologica immediata, creando un legame attivo con l’osso e i tessuti nel quale vengono impiantati, favorendo e velocizzando la guarigione. La zirconia è un materiale ceramico altamente biocompatibile, definito come bioinerte per la sua scarsa capacità d’integrazione con l’osso ed i tessuti dell’organismo umano. Questa sua particolarità può, nel lungo termine, comprometterne la funzione fino ad arrivare, in alcuni casi, al totale malfunzionamento dell’impianto. Negli ultimi anni, diversi studi sono stati condotti con lo scopo di aumentare la capacità di biointegrazione della zirconia ed alcuni brevetti sono stati depositati. L’obiettivo del presente lavoro è quello di condurre un’analisi bibliografica ed una ricerca brevettuale sul tema dei coating bioattivi su zirconia per impianti dentali ed ortopedici. La necessità di condurre questo studio deriva dalla crescente richiesta di utilizzo della zirconia, in particolare, nel settore dentale. La zirconia rappresenta, infatti, ad oggi, il migliore candidato per la sostituzione dei metalli negli impianti dentali. Le buone proprietà meccaniche, l’eccellente biocompatibilità e l’aspetto estetico molto simile a quello dei denti naturali, rendono questo materiale particolarmente adatto a questo genere di applicazioni. La possibilità di rendere la sua superficie bioattiva rappresenta un importante miglioramento delle prestazioni in termini di biointegrazione, durabilità, sicurezza ed affidabilità.

Long term performance evaluation of small-diameter vascular grafts based on polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel and dextran and MSCs-based therapies using the ovine pre-clinical animal model.

The functional and structural performance of a 5 cm synthetic small diameter vascular graft (SDVG) produced by the copolymerization of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel with low molecular weight dextran (PVA/Dx graft) associated to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapies and anticoagulant treatment with heparin, clopidogrel and warfarin was tested using the ovine model during the healing period of 24 weeks. The results were compared to the ones obtained with standard expanded polyetetrafluoroethylene grafts (ePTFE graft). Blood flow, vessel and graft diameter measurements, graft appearance and patency rate (PR), thrombus, stenosis and collateral vessel formation were evaluated by B-mode ultrasound, audio and color flow Doppler. Graft and regenerated vessels morphologic evaluation was performed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. All PVA/Dx grafts could maintain a similar or higher PR and systolic / diastolic laminar blood flow velocities were similar to ePTFE grafts. CD14 (macrophages) and α-actin (smooth muscle) staining presented similar results in PVA/Dx/MSCs and ePTFE graft groups. Fibrosis layer was lower and endothelial cells were only detected at graft-artery transitions where it was added the MSCs. In conclusion, PVA/Dx graft can be an excellent scaffold candidate for vascular reconstruction, including clinic mechanically challenging applications, such as SDVGs, especially when associated to MSCs-based therapies to promote higher endothelialization and lower fibrosis of the vascular prosthesis, but also higher PR values.

Synthesis and coating of silver nanoparticles and their interaction with cells model

La mia tesi si concentra sulla sintesi e funzionalizzazione di nanoparticelle d’argento studiandone l’interazione, tramite esperimenti in vitro, con cellule sane di fibroblasti murini NIH-3T3 e cellule tumorali da nodulo al seno MCF7. L’utilizzo di polielettroliti quali PDADMAC, PAH e PSS ha permesso la modifica delle proprietà superficiali delle nanoparticelle. Le nuove proprietà chimico-fisiche sono state caratterizzate tramite Dynamic Light Scattering, potenziale zeta e spettroscopia UV-vis. L’effetto della ricopertura con polielettroliti è stato valutato tramite test di vitalità cellulare somministrando le nanoparticelle funzionalizzate alle cellule sopracitate. Successivamente, è stata ottimizzata la procedura per un’ulteriore ricopertura sulle nanoparticelle cariche con BSA (Bovine Serum Albumin) valutando diversi fattori chiave. Le nanoparticelle ricoperte di albumina sono state caratterizzate e la composizione qualitativa della loro protein corona è stata ottenuta tramite analisi SDS-PAGE. Infine, le nanoparticelle ricoperte di BSA sono state somministrate alle due linee cellulari valutando l’effetto dell’albumina sulla risposta biologica tramite analisi di vitalità cellulare e immunofluorescenza.

Chemical Immobilization Of Crosslinked Polymeric Ionic Liquids On Nitinol Wires Produces Highly Robust Sorbent Coatings For Solid-phase Microextraction.

Super elastic nitinol (NiTi) wires were exploited as highly robust supports for three distinct crosslinked polymeric ionic liquid (PIL)-based coatings in solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The oxidation of NiTi wires in a boiling (30%w/w) H2O2 solution and subsequent derivatization in vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) allowed for vinyl moieties to be appended to the surface of the support. UV-initiated on-fiber copolymerization of the vinyl-substituted NiTi support with monocationic ionic liquid (IL) monomers and dicationic IL crosslinkers produced a crosslinked PIL-based network that was covalently attached to the NiTi wire. This alteration alleviated receding of the coating from the support, which was observed for an analogous crosslinked PIL applied on unmodified NiTi wires. A series of demanding extraction conditions, including extreme pH, pre-exposure to pure organic solvents, and high temperatures, were applied to investigate the versatility and robustness of the fibers. Acceptable precision of the model analytes was obtained for all fibers under these conditions. Method validation by examining the relative recovery of a homologous group of phthalate esters (PAEs) was performed in drip-brewed coffee (maintained at 60 °C) by direct immersion SPME. Acceptable recoveries were obtained for most PAEs in the part-per-billion level, even in this exceedingly harsh and complex matrix.

Platinum Blue Staining Of Cells Grown In Electrospun Scaffolds.

Fibroblast cells grown in electrospun polymer scaffolds were stained with platinum blue, a heavy metal stain, and imaged using scanning electron microscopy. Good contrast on the cells was achieved compared with samples that were gold sputter coated. The cell morphology could be clearly observed, and the cells could be distinguished from the scaffold fibers. Here we optimized the required concentration of platinum blue for imaging cells grown in scaffolds and show that a higher concentration causes platinum aggregation. Overall, platinum blue is a useful stain for imaging cells because of its enhanced contrast using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the future it would be useful to investigate cell growth and morphology using three-dimensional imaging methods.