Durability assessment of external thermal insulation composite systems in urban and maritime environments.

External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS) are multilayer solutions which provide an enhanced thermal performance to the building envelope. However, significant anomalies can be detected on ETICS facades, in some cases shortly after the application of these systems. This study intends to evaluate and compare the durability of six commercially available ETICS after two years of outdoor exposure at both urban and maritime conditions in Portugal. The systems were characterized by means of non-destructive testing (i.e., visual and microscopic assessment, water transport properties, thermal conductivity, surface roughness), thus allowing to evaluate the performance loss throughout natural aging. The bio-susceptibility and aesthetic properties (color and gloss) were also investigated. Results showed that the performance and durability of the complete system is significantly affected by the rendering system formulation. The lime-based specimens obtained the highest rate of mold development after one year of aging in a maritime environment, becoming considerably darker and with lower surface gloss. Fungal analysis of this darkish stained area indicated the presence of mold species of the genera Alternaria, Didymella, Cladosporium and Epicoccum, and yeasts of the genera Vishniacozyma and Cystobasidium. An increase of both capillary water absorption and water vapor permeability was also registered for the aged lime-based specimens. Acrylic-based systems obtained lower capillary water absorption after aging and greater dirt deposition on their surfaces, especially in urban conditions. These systems had also higher color variation and surface gloss decrease and slightly higher mold growth, when compared with those aged in a maritime environment. Finally, no mold growth was detected on the silicate-based specimens after two years of aging. However, these specimens obtained higher capillary water absorption and lower vapor permeability after aging, possibly leading to moisture accumulation within the system. Results contribute towards the development of ETICS with enhanced performance and durability.

Fungal contamination assessment in Portuguese elderly care centers.

Individuals spend 80-90% of their day indoors and elderly subjects are likely to spend even a greater amount of time indoors. Thus, indoor air pollutants such as bioaerosols may exert a significant impact on this age group. The aim of this study was to characterize fungal contamination within Portuguese elderly care centers. Fungi were measured using conventional as well as molecular methods in bedrooms, living rooms, canteens, storage areas, and outdoors. Bioaerosols were evaluated before and after the microenvironments' occupancy in order to understand the role played by occupancy in fungal contamination. Fungal load results varied from 32 colony-forming units CFU m(-3) in bedrooms to 228 CFU m(-3) in storage areas. Penicillium sp. was the most frequently isolated (38.1%), followed by Aspergillus sp. (16.3%) and Chrysonilia sp. (4.2%). With respect to Aspergillus genus, three different fungal species in indoor air were detected, with A. candidus (62.5%) the most prevalent. On surfaces, 40 different fungal species were isolated and the most frequent was Penicillium sp. (22.2%), followed by Aspergillus sp. (17.3%). Real-time polymerase chain reaction did not detect the presence of A. fumigatus complex. Species from Penicillium and Aspergillus genera were the most abundant in air and surfaces. The species A. fumigatus was present in 12.5% of all indoor microenvironments assessed. The living room was the indoor microenvironment with lowest fungal concentration and the storage area was highest.

Routine screening of harmful microorganisms in beach sands: implications to public health.

Beaches worldwide provide recreational opportunities to hundreds of millions of people and serve as important components of coastal economies. Beach water is often monitored for microbiological quality to detect the presence of indicators of human sewage contamination so as to prevent public health outbreaks associated with water contact. However, growing evidence suggests that beach sand can harbor microbes harmful to human health, often in concentrations greater than the beach water. Currently, there are no standards for monitoring, sampling, analyzing, or managing beach sand quality. In addition to indicator microbes, growing evidence has identified pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi in a variety of beach sands worldwide. The public health threat associated with these populations through direct and indirect contact is unknown because so little research has been conducted relating to health outcomes associated with sand quality. In this manuscript, we present the consensus findings of a workshop of experts convened in Lisbon, Portugal to discuss the current state of knowledge on beach sand microbiological quality and to develop suggestions for standardizing the evaluation of sand at coastal beaches. The expert group at the "Microareias 2012" workshop recommends that 1) beach sand should be screened for a variety of pathogens harmful to human health, and sand monitoring should then be initiated alongside regular water monitoring; 2) sampling and analysis protocols should be standardized to allow proper comparisons among beach locations; and 3) further studies are needed to estimate human health risk with exposure to contaminated beach sand. Much of the manuscript is focused on research specific to Portugal, but similar results have been found elsewhere, and the findings have worldwide implications.

Fungal contamination of poultry litter: a public health problem.

Although numerous studies have been conducted on microbial contaminants associated with various stages related to poultry and meat products processing, only a few reported on fungal contamination of poultry litter. The goals of this study were to (1) characterize litter fungal contamination and (2) report the incidence of keratinophilic and toxigenic fungi presence. Seven fresh and 14 aged litter samples were collected from 7 poultry farms. In addition, 27 air samples of 25 litters were also collected through impaction method, and after laboratory processing and incubation of collected samples, quantitative colony-forming units (CFU/m³) and qualitative results were obtained. Twelve different fungal species were detected in fresh litter and Penicillium was the most frequent genus found (59.9%), followed by Alternaria (17.8%), Cladosporium (7.1%), and Aspergillus (5.7%). With respect to aged litter, 19 different fungal species were detected, with Penicillium sp. the most frequently isolated (42.3%), followed by Scopulariopsis sp. (38.3%), Trichosporon sp. (8.8%), and Aspergillus sp. (5.5%). A significant positive correlation was found between litter fungal contamination (CFU/g) and air fungal contamination (CFU/m³). Litter fungal quantification and species identification have important implications in the evaluation of potential adverse health risks to exposed workers and animals. Spreading of poultry litter in agricultural fields is a potential public health concern, since keratinophilic (Scopulariopsis and Fusarium genus) as well as toxigenic fungi (Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium genus) were isolated.

Fungal and microbial volatile organic compounds exposure assessment in a waste sorting plant.

In the management of solid waste, pollutants over a wide range are released with different routes of exposure for workers. The potential for synergism among the pollutants raises concerns about potential adverse health effects, and there are still many uncertainties involved in exposure assessment. In this study, conventional (culture-based) and molecular real-time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) methodologies were used to assess fungal air contamination in a waste-sorting plant which focused on the presence of three potential pathogenic/toxigenic fungal species: Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, and Stachybotrys chartarum. In addition, microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOC) were measured by photoionization detection. For all analysis, samplings were performed at five different workstations inside the facilities and also outdoors as a reference. Penicillium sp. were the most common species found at all plant locations. Pathogenic/toxigenic species (A. fumigatus and S. chartarum) were detected at two different workstations by RTPCR but not by culture-based techniques. MVOC concentration indoors ranged between 0 and 8.9 ppm (average 5.3 ± 3.16 ppm). Our results illustrated the advantage of combining both conventional and molecular methodologies in fungal exposure assessment. Together with MVOC analyses in indoor air, data obtained allow for a more precise evaluation of potential health risks associated with bioaerosol exposure. Consequently, with this knowledge, strategies may be developed for effective protection of the workers.

Serum total and bone alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activities for the assessment of bone fracture healing in dogs / Fosfatase alcalina total, isoenzima óssea da fosfatase alcalina e fosfatase ácida resistente ao tartarato na monitorização da cicatrização de fraturas ósseas

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o padrão de variação da atividade sérica da fosfatase alcalina total (tALP), da isoenzima óssea da fosfatase alcalina (BALP) e da fosfatase ácida resistente ao tartarato (TRAP), assim como a variação da concentração dos minerais séricos durante o processo de cicatrização de fraturas ósseas no cão. A variação sérica destes marcadores do metabolismo ósseo foi avaliada em nove cães com fraturas diafisárias fechadas de ossos longos, submetidas a tratamento cirúrgico para osteosíntese. Durante o período pós-operatório, sete animais evoluíram no sentido de uma normal união óssea, sendo que dois deles desenvolveram um processo de não união óssea. Foram observados, relativamente à BALP, valores de actividade sérica mais elevados e com diferença estatística (P<0,05) no grupo de animais que evoluiu no sentido de uma normal união óssea, comparativamente ao grupo de animais que evoluiu no sentido do processo de não união. No grupo de animais que evoluiu para a completa união óssea foram, adicionalmente, observados valores diminuidos (P<0,05) da atividade sérica da TRAP, até ao dia 60 do período pós-operatório seguido de uma elevação estatisticamente significativa após este período. Em conclusão, os biomarcadores do metabolismo ósseo poderão vir a constituir um método auxiliar de diagnóstico na monitorização do processo de cicatrização de fracturas ósseas, possibilitando, a detecção precoce de complicações pós-operatórias.

Assessment of markers of bone formation under controlled environmental factors and their correlation with serum minerals in adult sheep as a model for orthopaedic research.

Eighteen healthy skeletally mature (3 years old) ewes, with an average weight of 45 kg, of the Portuguese Churra da Terra Quente breed were used to evaluate the normal values of total and bone-specific isoform of alkaline phosphatase serum activities (ALP and BALP, respectively) and serum osteocalcin (OC) and their correlation with the serum minerals - calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg) and ionized calcium (Ca(2+)). The sheep were maintained under controlled environmental conditions (constant diurnal photoperiod cycle and identical husbandry and feeding) for six weeks before the collection of the blood samples. The measurement of the total ALP and serum minerals was performed with automated biochemistry analysers using the BioMérieux kits, the serum electrolyte Ca(2+) Diametrics Medical, Inc specific cassettes and the BALP and OC METRATM kits from QUIDEL Corporation. The mean +/- standard deviation values obtained were: total ALP 90.17 +/- 85.72 U/L, BALP 15.0 +/- 5.44 U/L, ratio BALP/ total ALP 29.28 +/- 24.22, OC 13.02 +/- 1.87 ng/mL, Ca 2.57 +/- 0.37 mmol/L, P 2.13 +/- 0.42 mmol/L, Mg 1.04 +/- 0.13 mmol/L, Ca(2+) 1.29 +/- 0.04 mmol/L. Significant correlations were observed between the total ALP and Ca (r = 0.5939; P = 0.05) and OC and Ca (r = 0.5706; P = 0.05). Reference to the serum values of bone turnover parameters in sheep could be of great value in research and could provide complementary non-invasive information on the bone healing process, particularly with regard to obtaining an early prognosis of fracture healing.