Good Morning,

This week's photo is of Claviceps purpurea, or Ergot, from the Molecular Expressions website. I've featured this photo because of the Mold Education article, Abundant Respirable Ergot Alkaloids from the Common Airborne Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus (Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 June; 71(6): 3106–3111). I wasn't able to find a microphotograph of actual Ergot alkaloids produced by Aspergillus fumigatus. If anyone knows of any, let me know.

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It's a devastating blow to the town of 1,250 people, said Tom Lovik, the economic development coordinator for Wishek Job Development Authority.

Click here for Mold Problem Costs Small Town 100 Jobs (Grand Forks Herald, ND - Jan 7, 2005)

After being indicted on charges of committing medical fraud, Dr Totada Shanthaveerappa (a.k.a T. R. Shantha M.D) of Atlanta, Georgia, along with his associate Dan Bartoli, have since been granted a $100,000 bond by the Federal Court. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Click here for FBI/FDA Indicts Physician - 1930's Mold Treatment for Lumber used in Twenty-First Century Medical Fraud (INDOlink, CA - Jan 2, 2006)

William Pinckard, 49, and James R. Rousseau, 40, were booked into St. Tammany Parish Jail on multiple counts of insurance fraud, conspiracy, burglary, criminal damage to property and theft, a State Police news release said.

Click here for State Farm Investigation Results in Arrest for Mold Remediation Fraud (2TheAdvocate, LA - Jan 6, 2006)

This nasty-looking fruit with blotchy black stuff all over it was certainly not the image that I, a Midwesterner, had of Florida oranges. My disappointing harvest tempered my joy of getting a real citrus tree of my very own just weeks before the canker-inspired moratorium on citrus trees went into effect in 1999 in Broward County.

Click here for Sooty Mold on Citrus and Indicator of Bug Infestation (Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - Jan 6, 2006)

The April 2005 lawsuit alleged that the apartments had mold and fungal growth--penicillium and cladosporium --on surfaces and structures of the building that make up the complex located at 1400 Klein Ave. The class plaintiffs, former tenant Kesha Manning and plumber Claude Taylor, are represented by Alton attorney Lanny Darr.

Click here for Apartment owners seek dismissal for failure to prosecute mold class action (St. Clair Record, IL - Jan 5, 2006)

Molds need four things to grow: food, air, the right temperature and water. Since molds eat almost anything, the best way to control the molds is to control humidity. They gravitate toward dark, damp, warm environments and can grow on a number of things, including attic walls, house- plants and garbage pails. There are many ways to protect your home from a mold buildup. Once you have done a thorough evaluation of your home and have discovered those places where mold grows, it can be eliminated.

Click here for Mold Spreads as Heavy Rains Pound California (Business Wire, CA - Jan 4, 2006)

The demonstration of relatively high concentrations of ergot alkaloids associated with conidia of A. fumigatus presents opportunities for investigations of potential contributions of the toxins to adverse health effects associated with the fungus and to aspects of the biology of the fungus that contribute to its success.

Click here for Mold Education: Abundant Respirable Ergot Alkaloids from the Common Airborne Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus (Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 June; 71(6): 3106–3111)

If a school district declares an emergency it essentially allows the district to hire contractors without going through a competitive bidding process - - which can take three to four weeks -- and that helps get repairs done quicker. The action requires a unanimous vote of the board and approval from the county superintendent of schools. MCOE Superintendent Paul Tichinin said he supports the action.

Click here for School Mold: Northern California Storm Floods School, Causing Mold and Closing it for the Remainder of the Year (Ukiah Daily Journal, CA - Jan 5, 2006)

Newman said her concerns began in the summer. “We had some of the staff complain about it, but then the public came in and complained about the air being bad and made remarks like, ‘I don't know how you can stand working in here,'” Newman said.

Click here for Court Mold: Concerns raised over mold in courthouse (Columbus Telegram, NE - Jan 4, 2006)

As a customer, searching for a restoration professional, you probably want fast reaction but at the same time you want to hire a reputable company with proper licensing and insurance. You also want the bill to be charged directly to your insurance company, and yeah, you want to see some recommendations.

Click here for Mold & Technology: RestorationSOS(TM) is changing the way victims recover from water disasters. (PR Leap, CA - Dec 30, 2005)

Microbe Guard, developed by Dow Chemical in the 1960s and registered by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1976, prevents and kills mold, mildew, bacteria and fungi on new and existing houses.

Click here for Mold & Technology: Microbe Guard Claims $23 Mil. Mold Settlement Would Have Been Avoided by Use of Its Product (Johnson County Sun, KS - Jan 5, 2006)

EMSL Analytical Inc., one of the nation's leading testing laboratories, compared mold growth on wooden surfaces coated with Nansulate HomeProtect to surfaces with no coating. Both were exposed to spore-producing bacteria, including Pencillium funiculosum, Aspergillus niger and Aureobasidium pullulans. After four weeks, surfaces coated with Nansulate HomeProtect exhibited zero or minimal mold growths, whereas the uncoated surfaces showed extreme to 100 percent mold coverage.

Click here for Independent Test Confirms Mold Resistance of Industrial Nanotech's HomeProtect - New coating delivers unparalleled combination of mold resistance, corrosion prevention, and insulation for Home Protection (Houston Chronicle, United States - Jan 5, 2006)

Proposals, signed separately by the directors of all organizations, agreed to align their specialized programs, memberships and activities of the five organizations. The Environmental Education Foundation (EEF) will act as the umbrella organization in which all other organizations will merge. Already merged into the EEF, the International Association of Mold Remediation Specialists (IAMRS) Past President, Mr. Bob Allen, applauds the boards’ unanimous decision to merge with the EEF as “a major step forward in the servicing and recognition for our members”. Mr. Allen continued, “This merger was a natural fit as the EEF is recognized globally as the leader in Indoor Air Quality and Mold related issues and now with the addition of the largest and most acclaimed membership in mold remediation, our combined strength and knowledge base is second to none.”

Click here for Mold Professional Organizations: Five Top Indoor Environmental Professional Associations Merge with the Release of New IAQ Training Program - Industry Consolidation Continues with the Merger of EEF, NIAQI, TAIAQ, IAMRS & IAMM (PR Web, WA - Jan 5, 2006)

Ms. Mulvihill's confidential services include, depending on who she is retained by, and when:

• Analysis of property damage and personal injuries
• Conducting a property inspection
• Reviewing medical records
• Determination of the potential for a causal link between mycological issues and personal injuries
• Research of what needs to be done to prove -- or disprove -- property damage, personal injuries, and their causal links
• Determination what entity or entities might have caused property damage
• Reviewing insurance policies to determine if insurance coverage is available for the claims
• Determination what kind of expert or experts need to be retained to prove or disprove a case
• Preparation of expert witnesses for depositions
• Preparation of written discovery
• Preparation of attorneys for questioning of expert witnesses

Click here for Mold Professionals: Cynthia Coulter Mulvihill (Mold Litigation Consulting)

Check out the commentary on Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon's Illness, especially the part about Pat Roberts comments about it; or "This is Wire Tap".

Click here For Fun: Comedy Central's The Daily Show On-Line