Mathematical modeling and simulation of bacterial distribution in an aerobiology chamber using computational fluid dynamics.

Background: Computer-aided design and draft, along with computer-aided engineering software, are used widely in different fields to create, modify, analyze, and optimize designs.

Methods: We used computer-aided design and draft software to create a 3-dimensional model of an aerobiology chamber built in accordance with the specifications of the 2012 guideline from the Environmental Protection Agency for studies on survival and inactivation of microbial pathogens in indoor air. The model was used to optimize the chamber's airflow design and the distribution of aerosolized bacteria inside it.

Generic aspects of the airborne spread of human pathogens indoors and emerging air decontamination technologies.

Indoor air can be an important vehicle for a variety of human pathogens. This review provides examples of airborne transmission of infectious agents from experimental and field studies and discusses how airborne pathogens can contaminate other parts of the environment to give rise to secondary vehicles leading air-surface-air nexus with possible transmission to susceptible hosts. The following groups of human pathogens are covered because of their known or potential airborne spread: vegetative bacteria (staphylococci and legionellae), fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Cladosporium spp and Stachybotrys chartarum), enteric viruses (noro- and rotaviruses), respiratory viruses (influenza and coronaviruses), mycobacteria (tuberculous and nontuberculous), and bacterial spore formers (Clostridium difficile and Bacillus anthracis).

Covalently attached FGF-2 to three-dimensional polyamide nanofibrillar surfaces demonstrates enhanced biological stability and activity.

Activation of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) requires the formation of a ternary complex between fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), FGFRs, and heparan sulfate proteoglycans, which are all located on the cell surface and the basement membrane (BM)/extracellular matrix (ECM). Heparan sulfate proteoglycans appear to stabilize FGFs by inhibiting the rapid degradation of FGFs normally observed in solution. Because of the pivotal role of FGFs in proliferative and developmental pathways, a number of recent studies have attempted to engineer microenvironments to stabilize growth factors for use in applications in tissue culture and regenerative medicine.

Happiness and self-actualization under conditions of strain: a sample of homeless men.

Maslow's contention that happiness includes striving and is more than a hedonistic construct was tested in a sample of 146 homeless men. Since all participants were homeless, environmental experiences can be considered as largely held constant, allowing an examination of personality and happiness under conditions of strain. Principal axis factor analysis with promax and oblique rotations placed scores from the measures Unhappy-Happy and the Brief Index of Self-actualization on the same factor which supported Maslow's idea.