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Fungal exposure may induce respiratory symptoms. The causative agents are compounds in the fungal cell wall. Fragments of microbes may be present in air samples but are not measurable using conventional spore counting or by the determination of viable organisms. This study assesses the proportion of fungal cell biomass and endotoxin in different particle size fractions in air samples from homes. Air samples were collected from 15 homes using a cyclone sampler, collecting particles in three aerodynamic size fractions: <1.0, 1.0-1.8, and >1.8 μm. N-Acetylhexosaminidase ( NAHA) was determined as a marker of fungal cell biomass. Endotoxin was determined using the Limulus amebocyte lysate method. NAHA and endotoxin in the size range <1.0 μm comprised up to 63% (mean 22.7%) and 96.3% (mean 22.6%) of the total concentrations, respectively. There were significant relationships between the amounts of NAHA and endotoxin in the total amount and in the size fraction >1.8 μm but not in the smaller fractions. The results demonstrate significant amounts of fungal cell biomass and endotoxin in particles <1.0 μm. Homes with reported mold damage had a lower concentration of NAHA in particles <1.0 μm than homes without mold damage. To assess airborne exposure for diagnostic and preventive purposes, measurement techniques that include this fraction should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse relationship between magnesium in drinking water and death from ischaemic heart disease. The question is whether magnesium in drinking water can be critical for the body magnesium status. The aim of this study was to investigate, using an oral loading test, whether a change in body magnesium status could be found among people who change from drinking water with a low magnesium concentration to water with higher concentrations. The subjects participating in the study were 9 men and 3 women 65-70 years old, living in the city of Göteborg, Sweden, where the magnesium concentration in the tap water is low (1.6 mg/l). Drinking water was prepared with 200 mg MgCl[sub 2].6H[sub 2]O added per litre to a level of 25 mg/l, and was distributed to the subjects twice a week for 6 weeks. Excretion of magnesium, potassium and creatinine, basal and after oral magnesium loading (tablets containing 575 mg), was measured in 24 h urine before and after the supplementation period. Calculations were made for the total excretion (mmol/24 h), and in relation to creatinine. The subjects' intake of magnesium via food and water was estimated using a questionnaire. There was a difference between the post load excretion of magnesium, expressed as the magnesium/creatinine ratio, before and after the supplementation period. The mean percentage change was a 14.6% (p=0.047) increase. No changes were found for potassium. In summary, the results indicate that magnesium in drinking water can affect body magnesium status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than half of the incidents reported to EMSA relate to nautical events such as collision, groundings and contacts. Knowledge of accurate and high-integrity positioning is therefore not only a need for future automated shipping but a base for today's safe navigation. Examples on accidents include Ever Given in the Suez Canal and HNoMS Helge Ingstad in Norway. A Network-RTK (NRTK) service can be used as an augmentation technique to improve performance of shipborne GNSS receivers for future positioning of manned and unmanned vessels in restricted areas, such as port areas, fairways, and inland water ways. NRTK service providers generate RTK corrections based on the observations of networks of GNSS reference stations which enables the users to determine their position with centimeter accuracy in real-time using a shipborne GNSS receiver. Selection of appropriate communication channels for dissemination of NRTK corrections data is the key to a secure positioning (localization) service. In PrePare-Ships project, the modern maritime communication system VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) is proposed to distribute SWEPOS (NRTK in Sweden) correction data to shipborne positioning modules. VDES is a very reliable technique and it is compatible with most onboard functionalities. In order to minimize the impact on the overall VDES data capacity in a local area, NRTK correction data shall only occupy a single VDES slot with a net capacity of 650 bytes. Update rates may vary but are preferably at 1Hz. However, NRTK correction data size changes instantly, depending on the number of visible GNSS satellites, and the data rate can therefore sometimes reach in excess of 1000 byte/s. In this study, a smart technique is proposed to reduce size of NRTK correction data to instantly adapt with the VDES requirements by choosing a combination of specific signals, satellites or even constellations such that the data rate is not more than 650 byte/s, and at the same time it achieves optimal positioning performance with the accuracy required by the PrePare-Ships project application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease. Epidemiological and treatment studies suggest that fungi play a part in the pathogenesis. The aim of this work was to study the effect of fungal cell wall agents (FCWA) on the in vitro secretion of cytokines from peripheral blood monocytes from subjects with sarcoidosis and relate the results to fungal exposure at home and clinical findings. Subjects with sarcoidosis ( n = 22) and controls ( n = 20) participated. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with soluble or particulate β-glucan (S-glucan, P-glucan), chitin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), whereafter tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and IL-12 were measured. The severity of sarcoidosis was determined using a chest X-ray-based score. Serum cytokines (IL-2R, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12) were determined. To measure domestic fungal exposure, air in the bedrooms was sampled on filters. N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) on the filters was measured as a marker of fungal cell biomass. The induced secretion of cytokines was higher from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from subjects with sarcoidosis. P-glucan was more potent than S-glucan inducing a secretion. Chitin had a small effect. Among subjects with sarcoidosis there was a significant relation between the spontaneous PBMC production of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 and the NAHA levels at home. The P-glucan induced secretion of IL-12 was related to the duration of symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Their X-ray scores were related to an increased secretion of cytokines after stimulation with LPS or P-glucan. Subjects with sarcoidosis have a higher reactivity to FCWA in vitro and to home exposure. The influence of FCWA on inflammatory cells and their interference with the inflammatory defense mechanisms in terms of cytokine secretion could be important factors for the development of sarcoidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIRWAY irritation effects after single and repeated inhalation exposures to aerosols of β-glucan (grifolan) were investigated in mice. In addition, the effects on serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) production and histopathological inflammation in the respiratory tract were studied. The β-glucan aerosols provoked slight sensory irritation in the airways, but the response was not concentration dependent at the levels studied. Slight pulmonary irritation was observed after repeated exposures. No effect was found on the serum total IgE levels, and no signs of inflammation were seen in the airways 6 h after the final exposure. The results suggest that, irrespective of previous fungal sensitization of the animals, inhaled β-glucan may cause symptoms of respiratory tract irritation but without apparent inflammation. Respiratory tract irritation reported after inhalation of fungi may not be entirely attributed to β-glucan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate cross-cultural differences in the community response to road traffic noise, social surveys were conducted in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Kumamoto and Sapporo, Japan, using the same questionnaire and noise measurement method. Typical residential areas with detached houses and apartments were selected as the target areas in each city. The questionnaire comprised 40 questions relating to environmental, housing and personal factors. The key questions concerned annoyance caused by road traffic noise. The total numbers of respondents were 1142 in Gothenburg, 837 in Kumamoto and 780 in Sapporo. The response rates were 68·8, 69·3 and 57·5% respectively. After the questionnaires were completed, noise measurements were made in each area. Community responses were compared on the basis of the dose–response relationships. There were no systematic differences between community responses in Sapporo and Kumamoto, which have the same culture. People living in detached houses in Gothenburg were more annoyed by the same road traffic noise than the people living in Japanese cities. There were no systematic differences among the three cities with regard to activity disturbances indoors, but significant disturbance of activities and resting in gardens or on balconies was noted in Gothenburg. The difference in activity disturbance was due to the differences between lifestyles in the two countries. People living in detached houses were more annoyed by the house vibration caused by road traffic than those living in apartments and people were annoyed by the exhaust from road traffic to the same extent as noise. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Path analysis was applied to data obtained in social surveys in Kumamoto and Sapporo, Japan, and Gothenburg, Sweden, to cross-culturally compare the causal models that describe the multiple stratum relationships between road traffic noise annoyance and endogenous and exogenous variables. Path models can estimate not only the direct effect of a variable on annoyance but also the indirect effect of the variable via other variables. The exogenous variables were selected from housing, personal and environmental factors, and the endogenous variables were selected from various activity disturbances and related effects, based on the results of correlation coefficients between variables and discrimination by factor analysis. An a priori path model was constructed at the start of the analysis and the structure equations for the endogenous variables were formulated. The standardized partial regression coefficients are called path coefficients and show the strength of the linkage between variables. A revised path model was constructed by deleting insignificant paths. The characteristics of annoyance responses were as follows: (1) annoyance caused by exhaust has the strongest relation to noise annoyance and (2) structures of noise annoyance were different between Japan and Sweden and between housing types, probably owing to differences in lifestyle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims: How and when children develop an understanding of group boundaries have implications for conflict resolution. When social divisions are not perceptually distinct, symbols become particularly important. Framed by the Social Identity Development Theory, this study was designed to assess children's categorization of symbols with conflict-related group labels., Method: In Northern Ireland, 218 children (M = 8.14, SD = 1.83, range 5-11 years old) participated in a novel task designed for this study. The sample was evenly split by child gender and community background., Results: Children sorted symbols above chance with both the hypothesized national (i.e., British/Irish) and ethno-political (i.e., Protestant/Catholic) labels, showing a stronger association for the former. Sorting was also stronger for ingroup symbols, compared to outgroup symbols, and increased with age., Conclusion: These findings reflect the potential role that a divided social world has on the development of children's understanding of conflict-related groups. The results also have implications for intergroup relations among children in divided societies., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated a relationship between biomass of fungi exposure in the home and the risk of sarcoidosis. β-glucan was present in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with sarcoidosis. The Kveim-Siltzbach test reagent (KSTR) induces a sarcoidosis specific, granulomatous, cutaneous response and was used to establish the diagnosis. To date, the granuloma-inducing component of KSTR is still unknown. The present study was undertaken to investigate the presence of β-glucan in the lymph nodes of patients with sarcoidosis and to determine the relationship between the amounts of this agent with disease severity and to investigate the presence of β-glucan in KSTR. Materials and methods: Lymph node aspirations were collected by transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) in region R4 or 7 from patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis. The samples were treated to isolate β-glucan and analyzed using a Limulus-based assay. Cultures of Propionibacterium ac. and Mycobacterium gordonae as well as samples of Kveim-Siltzbach test reagent were analyzed to determine β-glucan content. Results: A significant relationship was observed between the amount of the β-glucan in the lymph nodes and the extent of granuloma formation in the lung parenchyma, and the size of the lymph nodes in the mediastinum (r=0.787, p=0.0001 and r=0.664, p<0.001 respectively, Spearman's test). The samples of Kveim-Siltzbach test reagent contained high levels of β-glucan. Cultures of Propionibacterium ac. and Mycobacterium gordonae contained β-glucan, the levels of which were lower in the Mycobacterium cultures. Comments: The results support the hypothesis that β-glucan, and thus fungal exposure, are involved in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2017; 34: 130-135) ., (Copyright: © 2017.)

The interest in poor magnesium (Mg) status as risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing due to its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. A systematic PubMed literature search of studies investigating Mg status was undertaken comparing AD to healthy controls (HCs) or patients with medical illness (medical controls [MCs]). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) ± 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for all outcomes. Of 192 potentially eligible studies, 13 were included (559 patients with AD, 381 HCs, and 126 MCs). Compared to HCs, patients with AD had significantly lower Mg in cerebrospinal fluid (2 studies; SMD = -0.35;P= .02) and in hair (2 studies; SMD = -0.75;P= .0001). No differences between AD and controls were evident for serum Mg. In conclusion, AD seems to be associated with a lower Mg status when compared to HCs, while the scarcity of studies limited the findings about MCs., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest in this article.

Introduction: Women with pre-eclampsia (PE) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. This association might reflect an effect of pre-eclampsia on mechanisms inducing a higher risk of CVD or the presence of a group at risk., Materials and Methods: The possibility that women with a magnesium deficiency might constitute a risk group was examined using published evidence form investigations on PE and CVD., Results: Available data strongly suggest that a magnesium deficiency is a major risk factor for both PE and for CVD disease later in life., Conclusions: Magnesium homeostasis studies in women with PE should be undertaken for validation purposes. The results suggest that women with PE should be given dietary counselling to decrease future risks of CVD.

Objectives: A previous study demonstrated that the increase in diastolic blood pressure during pregnancy was reduced by supplementation with magnesium. The present study was undertaken to explore if increases in diastolic blood pressure could be useful for early identification of pre-eclampsia., Study Design: Hospital records of nulliparous, singleton normal pregnancies (n = 100) and those diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (n = 109) were obtained from a register at an antenatal health care unit. Data on blood pressure at the regular visits to the unit were collected and analysed., Results: The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher at pregnancy week 12 among those who developed pre-eclampsia (p = 0.046 and 0.001, resp). An increase in diastolic blood pressure ≥15 mmHg occurred more frequently among women with pre-eclampsia. In 93 % of the cases, this increase was present before and at the same time as the clinical diagnosis of pre-eclampsia was established., Conclusion: The results suggest that a base-line diastolic blood pressure of ≥80 mmHg and an increase in diastolic blood pressure of ≥15 mmHg could be used to identify women at risk of pre-eclampsia (sensitivity 92 %, specificity 44 %) and as a selection criterion in treatment or prevention assays.

Magnesium is an important cation present in more than 300 enzymes in the body. This review evaluates the information on magnesium and pregnancy. In normal pregnancies Mg responsive genes are upregulated, suggesting Mg deficiency. Blood pressure increase is related to the urinary excretion of Mg. In pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia the Mg homeostasis is different from normal pregnancies. Supplementation with Mg has shown beneficial effects on high blood pressure and infant conditions in some studies. Although several studies show important relationships between Mg homeostasis and pregnancy, particularly those with pre-eclampsia, further studies are needed to assess the relationship and formulate requirements for intervention programmes., (Copyright © 2014 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Studies in many countries have demonstrated a relationship between drinking water mineral content and the risk of death in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Particularly strong relationships have been found for magnesium and it has been suggested that magnesium be added to drinking water. The aim of this article is to evaluate the validity of this suggestion by reviewing information on possible causative agents. Major epidemiological studies on the drinking water content of calcium, magnesium, and hardness were analysed regarding exposure specificity, confounding factors, dose-response relationships and biological plausibility. Intervention experiments were analysed. The risk of death in CVD was related to the content of Ca, Mg and HCO(3-). The data demonstrate that Ca and Mg need to be considered together, and that HCO(3-) could play a role by intervening with the body acid load. There is no evidence to justify the addition of magnesium only to drinking water for preventive purposes. The data suggest that Ca and Mg could be administered together but no data are available regarding the relative proportions for an optimal effect.

Background and Objective: Previous studies have demonstrated increases of inflammatory mediators in sarcoidosis while epidemiological studies have also demonstrated an association with increased fungi exposure. This study measured the level of β-glucan in the lungs and of inflammatory mediators in serum, and correlated both with the extent of pulmonary granuloma infiltration., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 98 patients with sarcoidosis and 26 controls. β-glucan, a cell wall constituent of fungi, was measured in bronchoalveolar lavage. Inflammatory mediator levels were determined in serum. The extent of granuloma infiltration was estimated on the chest X-ray. Exposure to fungi at home was determined by taking air samples in bedrooms and analysing for the presence of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase., Results: Significantly, higher levels of β-glucan were found in broncho-alveolar lavage in subjects with sarcoidosis as compared with controls. There were significant positive relationships between the extent of granuloma infiltration and the levels of the different inflammatory mediators, except for interleukin-10. Domestic fungal exposure was higher among subjects with sarcoidosis., Conclusions: This is the first time that a specific agent, previously suspected to be related to the risk of sarcoidosis, has been detected in the lung of subjects with sarcoidosis and related to the levels of inflammatory mediators and the degree of home exposure to fungi. The results suggest that exposure to fungi should be explored when investigating patients with sarcoidosis., (© 2013 The Authors. Respirology © 2013 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.)

Objectives: High blood pressure during the last part of pregnancy is a risk indicator of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia which augment infant and maternal morbidity and mortality. Magnesium deficiency has been related to the risk of hypertension. A study was performed to assess the relation between pregnancy induced hypertension, excretion of urinary magnesium and expression of magnesium sensitive genes (MgSG)., Methods: A cohort of healthy, nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies was recruited. Blood pressure was recorded throughout pregnancy. Urinary magnesium excretion and expression of MgSGs in leukocytes were determined., Results: The expression of the gene TRPM6 was higher among pregnant women compared to non-pregnant controls at week 12. All other genes had lower expressions in pregnant women. At week 37 the expressions of all genes were lower than at week 12. The expressions of SLC41A1, SLC41A3, and TRPM7 were related to the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Furthermore, the expression of TRPM6 was related to the urinary excretion of magnesium and the change in diastolic blood pressure weeks 12-37 was inversely related to the change in magnesium excretion., Conclusions: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the excretion of magnesium during pregnancy were related to the expression of different MgSGs. The results suggest that magnesium is involved in the regulation of blood pressure during pregnancy., (Copyright © 2013 International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The aim of the study was to compare treatment of sarcoidosis with antifungal or corticosteroid medication., Methods: In patients with sarcoidosis antifungal medication (n = 29), corticosteroids (n = 21) or a combination (n = 27) was given. Nine patients allotted to antifungal medication were later given corticosteroids because of the lack of regression of the disease. X-ray scores for the severity of granuloma infiltration were determined. Chitotriosidase and angiotensin converting enzyme were determined. The time in months till remission was observed as well as the number of recurrences.

Background and Objectives: Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease with increased levels of inflammatory cytokines. Previous studies have shown a relation between the degree of granuloma infiltration and serum cytokine levels, except for interleukin- (IL-) 10. The aim of the study was to further investigate the serum levels of IL-10 in patients with sarcoidosis and relate them to fungal exposure in terms of the amount of fungi in the air of their homes and β-glucan in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid., Methods: Patients with sarcoidosis (n = 71) and healthy controls (n = 27) were enrolled. IL-10 was determined in serum. BAL was performed and the amount of β-glucan was measured. Domestic exposure to fungi was determined by measuring airborne β-N-acetylhexosaminidase (NAHA) in the bedrooms., Results: At high levels of fungal exposure (domestic fungal exposure and β-glucan in BAL), serum IL-10 values were lower than at low and intermediate exposure levels., Conclusion: The low serum IL-10 values at high fungal exposure suggest that fungal cell wall agents play a role in granuloma formation in sarcoidosis by inhibiting the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.

Purpose: To assess if hypertension during the last part of pregnancy could be prevented by magnesium supplementation., Methods: Pregnant primagravida women from a local antenatal care unit were given an oral supply of 300 mg magnesium as citrate or placebo from pregnancy week 25 in a randomised double-blind setup. Blood pressure was recorded during pregnancy as well as pregnancy outcome., Results: In the magnesium-supplemented group, the average diastolic blood pressure at week 37 was significantly lower than in the placebo group (72/1.4 mean/SEM vs 77/1.4, p = 0.031). The number of women with an increase in diastolic blood pressure of ≥15 mmHg was significantly lower in the magnesium group compared with the women who received placebo (p = 0.011). There was an inverse relation between the urinary excretion of magnesium during pregnancy and the diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.005)., Conclusions: Magnesium supplementation prevented an increase in diastolic blood pressure during the last weeks of pregnancy. The relation between diastolic blood pressure and urinary excretion of magnesium suggests that magnesium is involved in the regulation of blood pressure and that the increase in diastolic blood pressure in pregnancy could be due to a lack of magnesium.

Exposure to high levels of fungi might lead to diseases, such as airway inflammation, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and allergy. To comprehend the mechanisms behind the exposure to fungi and a disease, we examined the in vitro innate inflammatory cytokine response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) challenged by fungal cell wall agents (FCWAs), i.e., soluble and particulate (1→3)-β-D-glucan-curdlan (BGS and BGP), zymosan (ZYM) and chitosan (CHT) in the absence or presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We also studied FCWA effects on the mRNA expression of dectin-1, TLR2, TLR4 and mannose receptor (MR) by real-time RT-PCR. Our results demonstrated that BGP strongly induced the secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12; BGS, ZYM and CHT were weaker, but still significant cytokine inducers. We showed that BGS significantly augmented the LPS-induced in vitro secretion of TNF-α. On the other hand, BGP, ZYM and CHT suppressed the LPS-induced production of all cytokines. At the mRNA level, the dectin-1, TLR2 and TLR4 expressions were significantly reduced by all FCWAs in the absence of LPS and even more in the presence of LPS. While we demonstrated that the innate inflammatory cytokine response of PBMC induced by CHT was mediated by MR, the MR mRNA expression was significantly reduced by CHT. On the contrary, BGS significantly enhanced the MR mRNA expression. In conclusion, a long-term and massive exposure to LPS and FCWA (e.g., organic dust) may cause an important disruption of normal immune response and allow development and/or persistence of various immunopathological events., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Fungi have been suspected of contributing to the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. A previous intervention study demonstrated an improvement in the clinical condition in 15 out of 18 patients with a long-term history of sarcoidosis when antifungal medication was added to corticosteroids. The present study was performed to compare the effects of antifungal treatment with corticosteroid treatment in sarcoidosis., Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed sarcoidosis were recruited. Corticosteroids were given to 39 subjects, corticosteroid + antifungal to 31, and antifungal only to 22 subjects. The effects of the treatments were evaluated at 6 months. X-ray scores were measured before and after treatment together with pulmonary diffusion capacity and two markers of sarcoidosis activity, that is, angiotensin-converting enzyme in serum (sACE) and chitotriosidase (CTO)., Results: X-ray scores as well as sACE and CTO decreased significantly in all groups. The X-ray score decreased slightly more among subjects in the groups that received antifungal medication compared with corticosteroids only (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The results suggest that antifungal treatment is as efficient as corticosteroid treatment against the granulomatous and inflammatory manifestations of sarcoidosis. This is probably because this treatment is directed towards the causative agent. Additional studies are required to define the phenotype, where the antifungal treatment was not efficient (4/22) and to perform long-term follow up to determine the risk of recurrence.