Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2001-02-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:14:05Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 katz_i_me_botfca.pdf: 620772 bytes, checksum: a662f56641003d993323072eff85cd8a (MD5) / A planta de lisianthus pertence a família Gentianaceae, apresentando cerca de 70 gêneros com 550 espécies, sendo que no Brasil encontram-se 25 destes gêneros. De alto valor comercial, o lisianthus no Brasil é caracterizado por apresentar sua produção voltada para as exigências de um mercado com tendências às plantas para corte e plantas em vaso. Tem no Estado de São Paulo o seu maior número de produtores bem como seu maior mercado consumidor. Este concentra-se basicamente nos municípios próximos a capital paulista respondendo por mais de 40% da produção nacional. Segundo Silva (1998), o setor mantém uma taxa de crescimento de 20% ao ano respondendo por aproximadamente 4.500 empregos diretos e indiretos conjuntamente. Neste cenário, o mofo cinzento causado por Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr., com sintomas de podridão escura de folhas e flores das plantas de lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.) , afetam em larga escala ao mercado produtor. O desenvolvimento de novas técnicas de combate às doenças assim como, o uso de defensivos hidrossolúveis via água de irrigação, também conhecida como fungigação, é um procedimento moderno, datando da segunda metade dos anos 80 e conta com vantagens como redução de mão de obra, segurança da uniformidade de aplicação e pouco contato do operador com produtos tóxicos, o que naturalmente reflete na redução dos custos de produção. Nesta temática, a avaliação comparativa entre dois métodos de controle de doença objetivando otimização do processo produtivo desta cultura, envolvendo a natural redução dos custos, ocupa lugar de destaque na concepção de procedimentos de vanguarda como a aplicação de defensivos agrícolas via sistemas de irrigação localizada. Utilizaram-se os defensivos agrícolas cujos princípios ativos são thiofanato metílico, thiofanato metílico + chlorothalonil e iprodione... . / The lisianthus plant belongs to the Gentianaceae family, presenting about 70 genres with 550 species, and 25 of these genres Brazil. Of high commercial value, the lisianthus in Brazil is characterized by presenting its production seeking for the demands of a market with tendencies to the cut plants and potted plants. It has in the São Paulo State its largest number of producers as well as its largest consuming market. It is concentrated basically on the municipal districts close to São Paulo answering for more than 40% of the national production. According to Silva (1998), the section maintains a growth tax of 20% a year answering for approximately 4.500 direct and indirect jobs. In this scenery, the gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. :Fr., with symptoms of dark rottenness of leaves and flowers of the lisianthus plants (Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.), largely affect the producing market. The development of new diseases control techniques as well as the use of soluble defensives through irrigation water, also known as chemigation, are modern procedures, dating from the second half of the eighties and provide advantages as labor reduction, application uniformity and little contact of the operator with poisonous products, what naturally contemplates in the reduction of the production costs. In this subject, the comparative evaluation among two disease control methods aiming at optimizing the productive process of this crop, involving the natural cost reduction, occupying prominence place in the conception of vanguard procedures as the application of agricultural defensive through trickle irrigation systems. The agricultural defensive whose active are thiophanate methyl, thiophanate methyl + chlorothalonil and iprodione were used, being evaluated the number of lesions, the number of floral buttons and the height reached by the plants that suffered inoculation of the mushroom... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below).

Orientador: Angélica Zaninelli Schreiber / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T18:50:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Biancalana_FernandaSimasCorrea_D.pdf: 1602190 bytes, checksum: f9f6d1fcbc7dcd1bf6b7e3dc9f3c4a90 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Nos últimos anos, os fungos demáceos têm sido intensamente reconhecidos como importantes patógenos, principalmente em pacientes imunocomprometidos, sendo reportadas como patogênicas mais de 100 espécies de 60 diferentes gêneros. O tratamento das infecções causadas por estes fungos é difícil, bastante demorado e algumas vezes sem sucesso, portanto, se fazem necessários mais estudos sobre a suscetibilidade destes patógenos a antifúngicos in vitro. Alguns autores têm demonstrado a excelente eficácia in vivo da terbinafina, em combinação com outros antifúngicos, para o tratamento destas infecções, porém são poucos os que avaliam seu efeito in vitro isoladamente, e menos ainda os relatos sobre associação desta com outros antifúngicos. A maioria dos trabalhos utiliza apenas o inóculo com conídios, que não é a principal morfologia do fungo encontrada no paciente. A realização de testes utilizando hifas poderia mimetizar as características do fungo no tecido infectado, demonstrando melhor o potencial terapêutico do antifúngico. Existem poucos relatos na literatura sobre avaliação dinâmica de crescimento de fungos, e nenhum deles realizado com fungos demáceos. Partindo deste princípio, foi investigada neste estudo a suscetibilidade in vitro de conídios e hifas fungos demáceos dos gêneros Alternaria, Bipolaris, Cladophialophora, Curvularia, Exophiala e Fonsecaea frente a anfotericina B, itraconazol e voriconazol e terbinafina, e esta última em combinação com os demais antifúngicos através da metodologia do tabuleiro de xadrez e avaliação dinâmica de crescimento. Quando avaliados isoladamente, o voriconazol foi o antifúngico mais ativo, seguido de itraconazol, terbinafina e anfotericina B, utilizando conídios. Quando foi feita a associação, os resultados indicaram 100% de sinergismo nas interações entre terbinafina e voriconazol, 96,5% de sinergismo entre anfotericina B e terbinafina e 75,9% de sinergismo entre terbinafina e itraconazol. Nenhum caso de antagonismo foi observado. Voriconazol e itraconazol demonstraram maior atividade frente a hifas dos isolados avaliados, seguidos de terbinafina e anfotericina B. Os isolados de C. bantiana e F. pedrosoi demonstraram altos valores de CIM frente a anfotericina B. Os valores de CIM obtidos para as hifas foram menores que os dos conídios, chegando a duas ou quatro diluições abaixo do valor da CIM. Os resultados demonstraram 100% de sinergismo entre a terbinafina e os azólicos ou a anfotericina quando utilizadas hifas no sistema BCT. Concluindo, os resultados obtidos neste trabalho sugerem que a forma de hifas dos isolados avaliados é mais suscetível que a de conídios frente aos antifúngicos avaliados tanto isoladamente, como em associação. / Abstract: In recent years, the dematiaceous fungi have been widely recognized as important pathogens, especially in immunocompromised patients, being reported as pathogenic, more than 100 species of 60 different genera. Treatment of infections caused by these fungi is difficult, time consuming and sometimes without success, therefore, more studies are needed about the susceptibility of the pathogens to antifungal agents in vitro. Some studies have demonstrated excellent in vivo efficacy of terbinafine in combination with other antifungals to treat these infections, but few ones have evaluated the in vitro effect of terbinafine alone, and even less are about association with other antifungal agents. Most used only the inoculum with conidia, which is not the essencial morphology of the fungus found in the patient. Testing susceptibility using hyphae could mimic the characteristics of the fungus in infected tissue, demonstrating more clearly the therapeutic potential of the antifungal agent. There are few reports in the literature on dynamic evaluation of mold growth, and none of them performed with dematiaceous fungi. With this assumption, was investigated in this study the in vitro susceptibility of terbinafine alone and in combination with amphotericin, itraconazole and voriconazole against conidia and hyphae of dematiaceous fungi belonging to genera: Alternaria, Bipolaris, Cladophialophora, Curvularia, Exophiala and Fonsecaea, using the checkerboard methodology and evaluation of dynamic growth. When evaluated alone, voriconazole was the most active antifungal agent, followed by itraconazole, terbinafine and amphotericin B, using the broth microdilution method with conidia. In the association, the results indicated 100% of synergism in interactions between voriconazole and terbinafine, 96.5% of synergism between amphotericin and terbinafine and 75.9% of synergism between terbinafine and itraconazole. No case of antagonism was observed. Voriconazole and itraconazole demonstrated the highest activity with the use of BCT with hyphae of isolates evaluated, followed by terbinafine and amphotericin B. Isolates of C. bantiana and F. pedrosoi showed higher MIC values compared to amphotericin B. MIC values obtained for hyphae were lower than those of conidia two or four dilutions below the MIC value. The results demonstrated 100% synergistic interactions between terbinafine and azoles or amphotericin when testing hyphae in BCT system. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the hyphae form of tested isolates are more susceptible than conidia to the antifungal agent evaluated alone or in combination. / Doutorado / Ciencias Biomedicas / Doutor em Ciências Médicas

Skateboarding is a passion for many people. Homemade skateboard machinery has been fabricated throughout the country. While the demand for skateboards is steady; there is a steady growth in the homemade skateboard deck market. The desire to create a one of a kind deck that expresses a person's individualism is growing. This applied research and development effort - designing and fabricating a fluid powered press system and 2-part mold assembly for forming glue up laminations for skateboard decks - is an attempt to gain understanding of the different phases of the product design process.

No description available.

La qualité de l’air dans les habitats est un problème majeur en Europe, où les personnes passent une grande partie de leur temps en milieu intérieur. Selon l’OMS, de nombreux habitats sont touchés par l’humidité entraînant le développement de moisissures qui ont des conséquences sanitaires et économiques.Dans ce travail, une approche globale, associant étude de terrain et expérimentations en laboratoire, a été employée pour décrire l’exposition aux bioaérosols dans des habitations dégradées par les moisissures, étudier leurs effets sur la santé des résidents et proposer une démarche diagnostique applicable aux habitats dégradés. Nous avons ainsi mis en évidence la présence récurrente de certaines espèces fongiques, notamment Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum et P. crustosum, qui pourraient être utilisées comme indicateurs microbiologiques de contamination fongique de l’air intérieur. Par ailleurs les analyses statistiques ont permis de montrer des liens entre les concentrations de certaines espèces de micromycètes dans l’air et les catégories de surface contaminées proposées par l’ANSES. Des relations ont également pu être établies entre l’exposition à ces moisissures et certaines manifestations respiratoires et cutanées mentionnées chez les résidents. L’évaluation du potentiel cytotoxique des bioaérosols collectés dans les habitats dégradés a, quant à elle, permis de mettre en évidence un lien entre les réponses observées sur deux lignées cellulaires testées (pulmonaire A549 et cutanée HaCaT).D’un point de vue méthodologique, la qPCR couplée à la cytométrie en flux semble être une méthode rapide qui peut être corrélée à l’approche culturale et permet ainsi de suivre l’exposition à Aspergillus versicolor dans les habitats dégradés. Huit espèces fongiques récurrentes dans les bioaérosols ont également été sélectionnées pour une étude en enceinte climatique montrant l’impact de la température et de l’humidité relative sur la croissance et la toxinogenèse fongique. / Air quality in houses is a major concern in Europe, as people spend most of their time indoors. According to the WHO, numerous houses are exposed to dampness that can lead to mold growth, causing health and economic damages.In this work, a global approach including both field study and laboratory experimentations was used to characterize the human exposure to bioaerosols in mold-damaged houses, to study their health effects on inhabitants and to propose a diagnostic process that could be applied to mold-damaged houses. We showed the recurrence of several fungal species, specifically Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum and P. crustosum, which could be used as microbial indicators of airborne fungal contamination. In addition, our statistical analyses showed relations between the concentrations of recurrent molds in air and the levels of surface contamination by molds proposed by ANSES. Statistical link has also been found between mold exposure and respiratory or cutaneous symptoms described by the inhabitants. A cytotoxic potential evaluation of bioaerosols collected in these mold-damaged houses allowed to highlight a relation between the responses observed for the two cell lines (pulmonary A549 and cutaneous HaCaT).From a methodological point of view, qPCR coupled with flow cytometry appears to be a fast and reliable method that can be correlated to cultural approach, allowing to monitor the human exposure to Aspergillus versicolor in mold-damaged buildings. Eight recurrent fungal species identified in bioaerosols were also selected for a study in a climatic chamber that showed the effects of temperature and relative humidity on fungal growth and toxinogenic potential.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1979. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Includes bibliographical references. / by James R. Rinderle. / M.S.

Development and exacerbation of asthma have long been associated with exposure and sensitization to allergens. While exposure to respiratory allergens such as German cockroach, mouse, cat, and dust mite is thought to occur largely by inhalation, the best method to measure the exposure remains unclear. Similarly ambiguous are the ideal measurement and allergic or respiratory effects of exposure to fungi. As most people in the industrialized world, especially small children, spend the majority of their time indoors, the home environment is of prime importance. Previous researchers have shown that poor housing quality or maintenance lead to growth of fungi, increased pest populations, and higher concentrations of other allergens and irritants. These elevated levels in turn are associated with greater rates of sensitization and asthma in the occupants. This dissertation focused on exposure measurement, assessment of sensitization to common molds, and estimating the effects of neighborhood-level pest prevalence and housing quality on asthma symptoms. The study subjects and homes were part of either the Puerto Rican Asthma Study (PRAS), a longitudinal cohort study focused on identifying how multiple risk factors affected allergic sensitization and asthma development in U.S.-born Puerto Rican children with atopic mothers, or the Head Start Study (HSS), which examined allergen exposure and sensitization in young children of low-income families. From 199 of these New York City homes, settled dust, high-volume air, and nasal air sample measurements were simultaneously collected and analyzed for cockroach, mouse, dog, cat, rat, and mite allergens. Cockroach and mouse allergens were quantified from all three sample types while the other allergens were measured from air samples only. Ninety-three women from PRAS were tested for sensitization to six species of mold using the halogen immunoassay and four mold species using ImmunoCAP. The results were compared to previously quantified specific-IgE to other inhalant allergens as well as to self-reported allergy and asthma symptoms and demographic characteristics. Finally in a cross-sectional sample of 225 children from both study populations, the impacts of housing conditions and pests on current asthma at both the individual and neighborhood level were examined. Questionnaire data on demographics, housing factors, asthma symptoms, and health behaviors were evaluated with allergic sensitization and environmental sampling results for each child. They were also grouped and contrasted by neighborhood using United States Census neighborhood-level data on reported pest prevalence and housing quality. The effects of individual and neighborhood factors on current asthma symptoms were estimated using a generalized linear model. Allergen concentrations were generally highest in settled dust, followed by high-volumetric air, and then nasal air samples. Mouse allergen was most frequently detected in air samples, followed by dog, cat, and cockroach. No samples contained rat or any of three types of mite allergens above the detection limit. While all three measurements enhanced the exposure picture for mouse allergen, air samples rarely had detectable cockroach allergen despite being detected in settled dust. This led to the conclusion that settled dust sampling is still crucial when assessing a child's exposure to cockroach allergen but may be less important for buoyant mammalian allergens such as mouse. Nearly one-third of the 93 mothers were sensitized to one or more molds as determined by either assay. Being sensitized was positively associated with sensitization to tree, grass, or pigeon allergens but not to other inhalant allergens. Moreover there was no association seen between sensitization to the fungal species and asthma or allergy symptoms. Of note, however, interesting differences between the halogen immunoassay and ImmunoCAP were identified that merit additional investigation. For the 225 children, current asthma symptoms were positively associated with early respiratory infections, presence of environmental tobacco smoke, having higher concentrations of cockroach allergen in bed dust, a higher intensity sensitization level to one or more inhalant allergens, and current asthma in the mothers. After adjusting for individual-level factors (cockroach allergen in bed dust, environmental tobacco smoke, and study population), no effect of neighborhood-level characteristics could be associated with current asthma prevalence. The lack of effect was likely due to a combination of factors including: small sample size, self and other selection biases, and insufficient diversity across the study population and neighborhoods

Resumo: Perdas significativas ocorrem durante o armazenamento e a comercialização de uvas de mesa devido, principalmente, à ocorrência do mofo cinzento (Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr.) e, visando o controle de patógenos emprega-se, geralmente, o dióxido de enxofre (SO2). Diante da restrição crescente ao uso de produtos químicos em pós-colheita, tem ocorrido considerável interesse em métodos alternativos de controle. Este trabalho teve como principal objetivo avaliar os efeitos dos agentes bióticos (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler e Agaricus blazei (Murril) ss. Heinem) e abióticos (quitosana, ácido acético e irradiação UV-C), possíveis indutores de resistência, na proteção de uva Itália pós-colheita contra B. cinerea. In vivo, avaliou-se o efeito direto e indireto dos agentes de controle através do tratamento dos cachos de uva, antes e após a inoculação com o patógeno. Utilizaram-se extratos aquosos dos cogumelos A. blazei (linhagem ABL 29) e L. edodes (linhagem LED 17) nas concentrações de 0,0; 2,5; 5,0; 10,0; 20,0 ou 40,0 % (v/v); quitosana nas concentrações de 0,00; 0,25; 0,50; 1,00; 1,50 e 2,00 % (v/v); vapor de ácido acético a 0,0; 2,6; 5,2; 10,5 ou 21,0 mg.L-1 e; irradiação UV-C (254 nm) nas doses de 0,00; 0,84; 1,30; 2,40; 3,60; 4,80 e 7,50 kJ.m-2. Para inoculação, em cada cacho foram feridas 10 bagas, fazendo-se um furo por baga de 2 mm de profundidade, procedendo-se em seguida, a aspersão da suspensão de conídios ( 105 conídios.mL-1) de B. cinerea. Após os tratamentos, os cachos foram mantidos a 25 1 C / 80-90 % UR; quando avaliações de incidência e severidade foram realizadas diariamente, além de análises físicas e físico-químicas da uva. Avaliações in vitro do efeito dos agentes de controle sobre o patógeno também foram realizadas analisando-se o crescimento micelial e a germinação dos conídios de B. cinerea... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Significant losses of table grapes occur during storage and commercialization due mainly to the occurrence of gray mold (Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr.), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) is frequently used to control such pathogens. Due to increasing restrictions on the postharvest use of chemical products, considerable interest in alternative control measures has arisen. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of biotic (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler and Agaricus blazei (Murril) ss. Heinem) and abiotic (chitosan, acetic acid and UV-C irradiation) agents as possible resistance inducers in 'Itália' grapes, aimed at post-harvest protection against B. cinerea. The direct and indirect effects of these control agents were evaluated in vivo by treating bunches of grapes before and after inoculation with the pathogen. Aqueous extracts of the mushrooms A. blazei (strain ABL 29) and L. edodes (strain LED 17) were used in the concentrations of 0.0; 2.5; 5.0; 10.0; 20.0 and 40.0 % (v/v); chitosan at 0.00; 0.25; 0.50; 1.00; 1.50 and 2.00 % (v/v); acetic acid vapor at 0.0; 2.6; 5.2; 10.5 and 21.0 mg.L-1 and UV-C (254 nm) irradiation at doses of 0.00; 0.84; 1.30; 2.40; 3.60; 4.80 and 7.50 kJ.m-2. For inoculation, 10 grapes in each bunch were injured by piercing the grape to a depth of 2 mm, followed by spraying with the inoculum of B. cinerea conidia ( 105 conidia.mL-1). After the treatments, the bunches were kept at 25 1 C / 80-90 % RH, carrying out daily evaluations of disease incidence and severity, as well as physical and physical-chemical analyses of the grapes. In vitro evaluations of the effect of the control agents were also carried out based upon mycelial growth and germination of B. cinerea conidia. The results showed that the extracts of A. blazei and L. edodes failed to control deterioration by B. cinerea in 'Itália' grapes when applied after inoculation. However, the A. blazei... (Complete abstract, click electronic access below) / Orientador: Eliane Aparecida Rodrigues da Silva / Coorientador: Sérgio Florentino Pascholati / Banca: Nilton Luiz de Souza / Banca: José Maria Monteiro Sigrist / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-22T22:10:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andre Rocha.pdf: 1356381 bytes, checksum: 9b7278c11bb3486328c62eb993f63451 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-30 / In the production of components and final products in Pólo Industrial de Manaus (PIM) the plastic injection process is significantly present. Otherwise, PIM does not produces injection molds but acquire those from other Brazillian states or countries. It allied to PIM logistics and fiscal characteristics takes to question about how wide have being the economic analises to molds acquisition. In this way, this research identifies the Total Ownership Costs (TCO) of plastic injection mold, equationated in a basic model to help purchase decision process, for managers in industrial companies in PIM. For that it was developed an applied and descriptive research, based on bibliographic sources for costs understanding, TCO and plastic injection mold characterization; identification of mold s costs and administrative and economic characterization of plastic injection industries installed in PIM. There was identified 19 elements which reach the various costs happend during and after acquisition of a mold, it together with statistic data about costs in Brazil, allowed to define the importance level for each one in the process, determinanting the five ones more significants, which are: Mold price, logistic, losses from production stop due to mold failure, maintenance material and people. The structure in which this research was developed became by it self a route that guides step by step the implementation of mold TCO in an industry. It starts with definition of expenses types which shall be considered and how to obtain those, then it is determinated a mold evaluation method in industry, being concluded with the classification process, selection and sintesis of TCO elements. / Na produção de insumos e bens finais do Pólo Industrial de Manaus (PIM) o processo de injeção plástica é de presença marcante. No entanto, o PIM não fabrica os moldes e sim os adquire dos demais estados brasileiros e exterior. Isto aliado às peculiaridades logísticas e fiscais do PIM leva ao questionamento de quão abrangente tem sido a análise econômica para as aquisições de moldes. Neste sentido, este estudo identifica o Custo Total de Propriedade (TCO) de um molde de injeção plástica, equacionado em um modelo básico, para auxílio ao processo de tomada de decisão de compra, dos gerentes das empresas industriais instaladas no PIM. Para tal desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa aplicada e descritiva, a partir de fontes bibliográficas para entendimento de custos, caracterização do TCO e de moldes de injeção plástica; identificação dos custos de um molde e caracterização administrativa e econômica das indústrias de injeção plástica instaladas no PIM. Foram identificados 19 elementos que englobam os diversos custos ocorridos durante e após a aquisição de um molde de injeção plástica, que em conjunto com dados estatísticos sobre custos no Brasil, permitiram definir o grau de importância de cada um no processo, determinando-se os cinco mais relevantes, que são: Preço do molde, logística, perdas por parada de produção por falhas no molde, material e pessoal de manutenção. A estrutura em que a pesquisa foi desenvolvida por si só tornou-se um roteiro que guia passo a passo a implantação do TCO de moldes em uma indústria. Inicia-se pela definição de quais tipos de gastos devem ser considerados e como apurá-los, em seguida é determinado um método de avaliação do molde na indústria, concluindo-se com o processo de classificação, seleção e síntese dos elementos que comporão o TCO

This indoor environment study formed part of the South Durban Health Study (SDHS) that investigated the health effects of exposure to ambient air pollution. Homes of children from seven communities corresponding schools were recruited to participate. This study was designed to determine characteristics in the homes that are associated with higher or lower levels of allergens and fungal aerosols. Homes were inspected using a field tested walkthrough checklist to collect data on home characteristics associated to adverse health effects. The characteristics include dampness, visible mould, type of flooring, type of bedding, type of heating systems, and building type and age. Dust samples for allergen analysis were collected from the bedding and the floor of the sleep area used by the children. Air samples from all rooms in the house were collected on malt extract agar, the media used for identifying and quantifying airborne fungal aerosols. More than 70% of the homes were single units standing on their own, 20% were attached houses (flats or apartments) and the rest (10%) were informal houses. Construction material of the homes comprised of bricks (93%), wood (5%) and other material (2%) such as corrugated iron of which 94% were formally constructed. Dampness signs were observed in 51% of the homes and visible mould growth 13% of them. In all them, at least one characteristic that is hypothetically associated to elevated house dust mite allergens was found. Levels of mould (Asp f 1) allergen and house dust mite (Der p 1 and Der f 1) allergen were comparable to levels found in other parts of the world. Asp f 1 allergen levels ranged between 0.32-1.379g/g and Der p 1 and Der f 1 allergen levels ranged from undetectable to 49.61 and from undetectable to 39.319g/g of dust respectively. Some home characteristics from walkthrough checklist were associated with Asp f 1, Der p1 and Der f 1 allergen levels when simple regression analysis was performed. Asp f 1 was significantly associated with single family home [OR= 0.004 (95%CI 0.004–0.35)] and polyester filled pillows [OR= 0.07 (95%CI 0.01– 0.61)] in logistic regression models. Der p 1 allergen was associated with observed extent of roof dampness [OR= 0.33 (95%CI 0.13–0.81)]. Fungal aerosol mixture consisted of Cladosporium spp. as the predominant genus together with other genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium were, to a lesser extent, identified in the samples from the homes. Mean concentration of total indoor fungal aerosol of indoor and outdoor were 1108 CFU/m3 and 1298 CFU/m3 respectively. Individual genera of fungi in the childrens sleep area had mean levels of 783 CFU/ m3, 30CFU/ m3, 64CFU/ m3, 48CFU/ m3 and 43 CFU m3 for Cladosporium spp., Aspergillus spp., Penicillium, spp., Fusarium spp. and Rhizopus spp. respectively. Simple regression showed some conditions in the homes to be predictors of higher levels of total fungal aerosols. In a linear regression models, total outdoor fungal levels were a protective effect on total indoor fungal levels [C= 0.542 (95%CI 0.437–0.647)] whilst homes with hard floors had about 25 CFU/m3 [C= 5.235 (95%CI 0.557–9.913)] in the homes were significantly associated. This study showed the need to adapt observational instrument/ checklist/ questionnaire to suit the environment or the study area of interest. As other studies and findings indicated, the best way to assess exposure to biological pollutants indoors needs a combination of two or more methods, i.e. direct and indirect methods. / Thesis (MMedSc-Occupational and Environmental Health)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.