Background: Integrin β3 (ITGB3) and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) are candidate genes for asthma and sensitization to mold allergens. Integrin β3 forms a complex with TLR2, and this biological interaction is required for the response of monocytes to TLR2 agonists such as fungal glucan. Objective: To study whether genetic interaction between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding...

BACKGROUND Rain and flooding from Hurricane Katrina resulted in widespread growth of mold and bacteria and production of allergens in New Orleans, Louisiana, which may have led to increased exposures and morbidity in children with asthma. OBJECTIVES The goal of the Head-off Environmental Asthma in Louisiana (HEAL) study was to characterize post-Katrina exposures to mold and allergens in child...

In this research, a new scheme of rapid prototyping using high-temperature castable materials for microfabrication of polymer lab-on-a-chip, which is used for micro-injection molding is proposed and characterized with extension of the replaceable mold disk technology. Showing perfect master mold creation of ultra-high density channel with aspect ratio of ~0.7, the proposed process is well fitte...

CONTEXT Studies from different geographical regions have assessed the relations between indoor dampness and mold problems and the risk of asthma, but the evidence has been inconclusive. OBJECTIVE To assess the relations between indicators of indoor dampness and mold problems and the risk of developing new asthma, and to investigate whether such relations differ according to the type of exposu...

It has recently been demonstrated that patients who develop chronic illness after prior exposure to water damaged buildings (WDB) and mold have the presence of mycotoxins, which can be detected in the urine. We hypothesized that the mold may be harbored internally and continue to release and/or produce mycotoxins which contribute to ongoing chronic illness. The sinuses are the most likely candi...

We report a case of a 38-year-old mold-allergic patient who developed episodes of generalized urticaria and systemic anaphylactic shock immediately after ingesting button mushrooms. A manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and a NADP-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase (MtDH) from Agaricus bisporus mushroom were identified as patient-specific IgE-binding proteins. Cross-reactivity betwee...

Intermittent drought and an incidence of grain mold disease are the two major constraints affecting sorghum production productivity. The study aimed at developing drought-tolerant varieties possessing a high protein content tolerance to with stable performance using additive main effects multiplicative interaction (AMMI) genotype × environment (GGE) biplot methods. Systematic hybridization amon...

TPO is getting wider acceptance for automotive applications. An exterior application like a fascia is a very good example. Interiors are still a challenge due to many reasons including overall system cost. For interior applications, “all-olefin” means it mainly consists of three materials: TPO skin, cross-linked olefinic-based foam and PP substrate. The driving force for TPO in Europe is mainly...