FLIR ONE IR camera for Android and iOS

Flir One reflected IR image off of glass in an office - N. Carlson

The FLIR ONE Thermal Imager for Android uses the USB input from the camera to take infrared photos with visual light outlines.  Without the outlines it is sometimes difficult to orientate to the objects that are being photographed. An iphone version is also available FLIR ONE Thermal Imager for iOS.

Pros: The cost is reasonable. It varies around $200 to $250 USD. from Amazon or other retailers. Stand alone units cost 2 to 10 times as much.   The camera charges in one hour using a standard android USB charger.  The cable is included, but the plug in is not. A small case with a lanyard is provided.  Instructions are online.  Two additional connections are included to allow the FLIR ONE to be connected to the camera at different orientations.  The infrared images are clear and the spot temperature reading in both Celsius and Fahrenheit is useful.  It also shoots videos.

Cons: The infrared camera app interface is a bit buggy. The initial USB interface often displays an error message before working.  The camera image also sometimes freezes.  The camera works best when the temperature cross hairs are turned on.  It worked on my Samsung 5 SM-G900A camera Android version 5.1.1.  It did not work on my LG Leon with running on Android version 5.1.1.

Interesting features:  After taking a photo, the image can be reviewed in the FLIR ONE app.  If the image is finger swiped up or down the natural light image is revealed below.

Heat left over on sofa seats after the people have left - N. Carlson

The image of the photographer is reflected in the window opened at the bottom - N. Carlson

A device is hooked up to a power strip pulling phantom power.  I unplugged it after taking this picture. - N. Carlson

Paecilomyces spp.

Paecilomyces spp. growing in a malt extract agar culture plate - N. Carlson

Paecilomyces spp. microscopic photo - N. Carlson

Paecilomyces spp. in culture - N. Carlson

The organism, Paecilomyces spp. is structurally similar to Glocladium spp.(Trichoderma spp.), Penicillium spp. and Scopulariopsis spp.  The tendency of the conidia to be produced in chains and angle off at a 45 degree angle from the phialide separates it from the other three.  Even though the tan flat colonies of Paecilomyces spp. and Scopulariopsis spp. colonies appear to be similar on culture plates, the round rough spores of Scopulariopsis spp. differ substantially from often smooth oval shaped Paecilomyces spp. spores.  

This organism is less frequently picked up in culturable air samples then Penicillium spp. It grows well in compost and rotting food. According to EMLab P&K, it can cause both allergies and hypersensitivity pneumonitis.  The organism is rarely pathogenic individuals even though it can grow at 37 degrees Celsius.  There is a potential for hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections in immune compromised individuals. 

On a spore trap sample the Paeciliomyces spp. spores would be classified as Asp/Pen like. 

Paecilomyces spp. - Mold Removal.com 2 min.

Torula spp.

Torula spp. from air sample - N. Carlson

From my experience, the yeast Torula spp. is occasionally found in outdoor air samples.  The spores will typically be in chains of three or more with one of the cells broken in half at one end. 

The organism can be identified using tease tapes or a spore trace sample (Air-o-Cell).  It grows on cellulose material (oats, straw, and wicker etc.)  and is reported by EMLab P&K to be allergenic and not pathogenic to humans.

Bagpipes cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Mold species in Bagpipes photo from Zedie.wordpress.com

From the Washington Post, a British bagpipes player died from hypersensitivity pneumonitis (wikipedia) after suffering gradually deteriorating health for seven years. Doctors never made the connection with his love for bagpipes and his chronic respiratory problems.  His health improved briefly during a three month trip to Australia as he left his bagpipes behind.  It declined upon his return home.

Tests of his bagpipes found three genera of molds including Rhodotorula spp., Penicillium spp., and Fusarium spp. This case raises the importance of proper cleaning of musical instruments after use and the importance of getting a proper medical history for a person's occupation and outside recreational interests.

Hypersenitivity Pneumonitis Bagpipes - 2 min.

Bagpipe lung - 1 min. 

Sisyphus Railroad renewable energy storage by ARES North America

ARES North America - The Power of Gravity

ARES technology

One of the challenges for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is the episodic nature of the power generation when the wind stops blowing and the sun sets or there is cloud cover.  There are several options for energy storage that include batteries, compressed gas, flywheel, water pumping up a gradient, and conversion to hydrogen through electrolysis.

ARES technology is working on a rail system that converts the potential energy of a change in height elevation into electricity.  Electrical energy from wind or solar is used to send rail weighted cars up a steep gradient.  When the cars are released back down the gradient the change from potential to kinetic energy is captured by regenerative braking on the cars with an efficiency of around 75%.  ARES currently has a pilot project in Bakersfield California and hopes to set up similar projects around the world where the topography is favorable.

Silent video on ARES technology as clouds move over a solar array - 2 min.

News report on the process - 3 min.

Minnepura - Using bacteria in silica beads to clean water contaminated with chemicals

The National Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer (NCET2) listed Minnepura Technologies Inc. as one of the "Best University Startups 2016."  Minnepura uses bacteria inside silica beads to break down dangerous chemicals in water into non hazardous byproducts.  The bacteria are specifically selected for the chemicals that need to be decontaminated.

The technology is based on published research by Alptekin Aksan, Ph.D.  Mechanical Engineering and Larry Wackett, Ph.D. Professor of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics who also serve as technical advisors.

In December of 2013, Larry Wackett, Ph.D. presented information about this process to our departmental retreat. He discussed using this process to decontaminate water used in the oil fracking process.

Minnepura CEO Paul R. Hansen - 3 min. 

School Indoor Air Quality Training - Minnesota Department of Health

The Minnesota Department of Health is conducting ‘School Indoor Air Quality Trainings’ statewide and via webinar this Fall. The details are attached and also available at the MDH site : http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/schools/training.html

Public schools must have health and safety programs that comply with health, safety, and environmental regulations and best practices, including indoor air quality (IAQ) management. This training will discuss the state’s best practices for school IAQ management, which include having an IAQ Coordinator and an IAQ Plan. Non-public schools are also encouraged to have an IAQ Plan and attend this class.

Registration for this class is required. Individual classes may be canceled if registration is low.

Registration:
To register, please complete the enclosed registration form and mail or email to:
Minnesota Department of Health, Indoor Air Unit, PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
Email: tina.leland@state.mn.us
Where and When:
St. Cloud: September 22, 2016 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Minnesota Department of Health
Midtown Square 
3333 West Division Street, Suite 212 
St. Cloud, MN 56301 
www.health.state.mn.us/about/stcloud.html

Bemidji: September 23, 2016 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Minnesota Department of Health
705 - 5th Street NW, Suite A, Bemidji, MN 56601 
www.health.state.mn.us/about/bemidji.html

Roseville: October 5, 2016 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Minnesota Department of Education
Room CC17, 1500 Highway 36 West Roseville, MN 55113 www.education.state.mn.us/MDE/Welcome/Direc/

North Mankato: October 12, 2016 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
South Central Service Cooperative
2075 Lookout Drive, North Mankato, MN 56003
www.mnscsc.org/about-us

Roseville: October 25, 2016 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Minnesota Department of Education
Room CC17, 1500 Highway 36 West Roseville, MN 55113 www.education.state.mn.us/MDE/Welcome/Direc/

Webinar: October 11, 2016 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Email with instructions will be sent to webinar registrants

Phoma spp.

The organism, Phoma spp., is a member of the coelomycete (EmLab P&K) fungi that produce spores inside a pycnidia.  The spores are produced inside this hollow structure with an opening on top in an arrangement similar to a kiwi fruit or a pomegranate.

In buildings, this organism will often grow on slab on grade carpet with moisture problems.  It is a plant pathogen in tropical to temperate climates.  The single celled spores are unremarkable in structure and not differentiated on Air-o-cell cassette samples. The organism is may be allergenic. 

The organism grows best on media with higher water activity such as MEA.  It does not grow well on DG-18. 

The organism, Phoma spp. growth in MEA - N. Carlson

Surface of Phoma spp. shot from above - N. Carlson

Microscopic photo of Phoma spp. at lower magnification - N. Carlson

Low magnification Phoma spp. - N. Carlson

High magnification microscopic photo of Phoma spp. some species produce Alternaria spp. like spores. - N. Carlson

Phoma - Spirit of the Moon - Technomusic-  No relation to the fungal organism - 7.5 minutes

Scopulariopsis spp.

The organism, Scopulariopsis spp. looks microsopically similar to Penicillium spp. and Paecilomyces spp. The tan colony color differentiates the organism from most Penicillium spp.  The Paecilomyces spp. colonies are typically spreading and not as heaped as the Scopulariopsis spp. colonies. The Paecilomyces spp. spores are often comma shaped.

The mature spores of Scopulariopsis spp. are often rough.  The spores are produced in chains from a conidiophore (Fungi Online).  The base of the spore producing structure forms a ring as each spore is produces.  One end of the spore is flat with the other end round.
 
The spores can occasionally be distinguished between Asp/Pen spores on an Air-o-cell cassette sample if the spores are in chains.  The rough spore plus the flat point of attachment help in identification.  The spores are approximately 3 to 8 microns in diameter and will deposit in all areas of the respiratory tract.

Special note: The organism is capable of converting the arsenic found wallpaper covered with Paris Green into arsine gas.  In Italy during the 1890's over 1,000 children's deaths were linked to a combination of Paris Green wallpaper and mildew.  (History Magazine)  The deaths stopped once the wallpaper was removed.  Mildew in this sense was used as a term to describe mold in general and not a particular type of fungus also known as mildew.

Scopulariopsis spp. - N. Carlson

Scopulariopsis spp. line drawing - N. Carlson

What does Scopulariopsis mean - 30 sec.

Scopulariopsis spp. - 2 min.  Health Homes Inc.

Pithomyces spp.

Spores of Pithomyces spp. are fairly common in outdoor air samples.  The spores can sometimes be differentiated from Ulocladium spp. as the spores have a definite attachment point with a small transparent frill at one end.  The other end of the spore is round.  As the spores mature the exterior becomes roughened with small spines. 

The organism will grow on textiles, paper and wood products inside buildings.  It will grow on dead trees, and dead grass in the outdoors.  It can cause facial eczema in ruminants eating contaminated grass. 

The barrel shaped spores are approximately 15 to 25 microns in length and 10 to 15 microns in width.  These larger sized spores will deposit in the upper respiratory tract.   

A photo of Pithomyces spp. at various stages of growth on a culture plate - N. Carlson

Mature dark colored spiny Pithomyces spp. spores in culture - N. Carlson

Pithomyces spp. from an Air-o-cell cassette spore trap - The spore is dessicated (dried out ).  It looks similar in color and shape to root beer barrel candy.  - N. Carlson

Pithomyces spp. spore line drawing with frill at the attachment point - N. Carlson

Pithomyces spp. information - 2 min.