Microbes in the air High throughput genomic sequencing of bioaerosols in broiler chicken production facilities – Kate M. O’Brien – Microbial Biotechnology (OA) Chronic inhalation exposure to agricultural dust promotes the development of chronic respiratory diseases among poultry workers. Poultry dust is composed of dander, chicken feed, litter bedding and microbes. However, the microbial composition …
There is a really nice new paper out in mSystems (full disclosure – I am on the Board of Editors of the journal). The paper is from Brent Stephens and sums up a recent presentation of his. See What Have We Learned about the Microbiomes of Indoor Environments? Abstract: The advent and application of high-throughput …
The Alfred P. Sloan foundation recently announced the funding of a microbiome of the built environment study (MoBE) titled “Longitudinal assessment of the influence of lifestyle homogenization on the MoBE in a cohort of United States Air Force Cadets”. This research program is a collaborative effort between Dr. Christopher Lowry (University of Colorado at Boulder), …
Just wanted to remind everyone that the deadline for postdoctoral fellowship applications through the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation funded Microbiology of the Built Environment (MoBE) program is September 1, 2016. The program provides support for postdoctoral researchers in laboratories currently engaged in research in the U.S. or Canada. Three awards of $120,000 each will be made in …
Worth a look – everyone should get their Art and Microbes fix on: 10 Ways To Boost Your Microbiota On Etsy | the vexed muddler
Microbes of old Early evidence for travel with infectious diseases along the Silk Road: Intestinal parasites from 2000 year-old personal hygiene sticks in a latrine at Xuanquanzhi Relay Station in China — Hui-Yuan Yeh — Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports ($31.50) The Silk Road has often been blamed for the spread of infectious diseases in …
Just a quick post about the fact that researchers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are sending radiation resistant (even radiation-loving) fungi for some experiments on the International Space Station (ISS). They are looking for changes that occur in microgravity after growth for 14 days on the ISS with respect to ground control strains. Very …
Just a quick post here. There is a new paper of interest: Teaching indoor environmental quality – Nazaroff – 2016 – Indoor Air – Wiley Online Library It leads off with How is a new generation of professionals to be educated about indoor environmental quality (IEQ)? If this field is to become firmly established, we need …
So both Hal Levin and I have posted and/or commented on the topic of plants “cleaning” the air in buildings. Most of what’s out there is either anecdotal or based on an old NASA study that would require hundreds of plants in a home to make any appreciable difference. Here’s a couple microBEnet posts on …
Just a quick post here. Multiple stories out about the Laying Hen Housing Research Project by the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply that maybe of interest. From: Hen housing trade offs: Food safety, workers and consumers | Food Safety News As it turns out, the food stores and restaurant chains promising to sell only cage-free eggs …