Evaluation of VOCs from fungal strains, building insulation materials and indoor air by solid phase microextraction arrow, thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and machine learning approaches.

Solid phase microextraction Arrow and thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed the collection and evaluation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by fungal cultures from building insulation materials and in indoor air. Principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis and supported vector machine were used for visualization and statistical assessment of differences between samples. In addition, a screening tool based on the soft independent modelling of class analogies (SIMCA) was developed for identification of fungal contamination of indoor air.

Newtonian boreal forest ecology: The Scots pine ecosystem as an example.

Isaac Newton's approach to developing theories in his book Principia Mathematica proceeds in four steps. First, he defines various concepts, second, he formulates axioms utilising the concepts, third, he mathematically analyses the behaviour of the system defined by the concepts and axioms obtaining predictions and fourth, he tests the predictions with measurements. In this study, we formulated our theory of boreal forest ecosystems, called NewtonForest, following the four steps introduced by Newton.

The toxic mode of action of cyclic lipodepsipeptide fusaricidins, produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa, toward mammalian cells.

Aims: Toxigenic strains of Paenibacillus polymyxa were isolated from buildings connected with the symptoms of ill health. Our aim was to identify the toxic compounds of Paenibacillus polymyxa and to describe their toxic actions.

Methods And Results: The toxins of Paenibacillus polymyxa were purified and analysed by HPLC and mass spectrometry.

Building-related symptoms are linked to the in vitro toxicity of indoor dust and airborne microbial propagules in schools: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Indoor microbial toxicity is suspected to cause some building-related symptoms, but supporting epidemiological data are lacking.

Objective: We examined whether the in vitro toxicity of indoor samples from school buildings was associated with work-related health symptoms (building-related symptoms, BRS).

Methods: Administrators of the Helsinki City Real Estate Department selected 15 schools for the study, and a questionnaire on symptoms connected to work was sent to the teachers in the selected schools for voluntary completion.

Streptomyces strains producing mitochondriotoxic antimycin A found in cereal grains.

Reasons for mammalian cell toxicity observed in barley and spring wheat grains were sought. Streptomyces sp. isolates from wheat and barley produced heat-stable methanol-soluble substances which inhibited the motility of exposed porcine spermatozoa used as a toxicity indicator.