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grumpyparticle.bsky.social
A.LU
@grumpyparticle.bsky.social
46 followers 76 following 180 posts
Hiking/IC/RPE/QNFT-software. [Based somewhere in Switzerland.]

Follows don't reflect beliefs/principles.
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grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Sorry, it took me a long time to get back to this. I've tried to plot all the pathogens in Sentinella here, but I still don't think I understand much more than before (Rhinovirus often correlates with SC2, hmm). I've tried to indicate hotter periods too:
June 1, 2025 at 12:12 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
JN.1 vs KP.2 vs LP.8.1 got you confused?

Here are the differences in spike mutations (note: not a family tree):
Differences in mutations between JN.1 and KP.2 and LP.8.1. Not a family tree.
May 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Nur ein ganz kleiner Kommentar - das mit den monoklonalen Antikörpern stimmt - zumindest in Europa - leider nicht.

Die EMA hat z.B. Kavigale als obsolet bezeichnet, bevor es überhaupt zugelassen wurde. Pemgarda gibt es nur in den USA.
May 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Does anyone in Europe need some TSI/8020-compatible serial adapters? I ended up making a few more as an experiment (& basket filler):
April 21, 2025 at 2:11 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
But... is FF possibly an overestimate because it's an average over inbreath and outbreath? (Equally, leakage might still be significant even at peak FF, perhaps I can verify with an N95 companion?)
A graph showing specimen particle concentration collected during a fit test. Levels vary between almost 0 and peaks of 140.
April 11, 2025 at 4:11 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
An attempt at visualising the impact of leakage (or faceseal penetration) on total penetration for a given respirator.

A lower bound for filtration efficiency (for **current** air cmp.) can be calculated from peak FF, and can in turn be used to estimate a lower bound on leakage.
Graph of leakage vs Fit Factor. Two lines are shown: leakage total, and penetration attributed to seal leakage. Total leakage is inversely proportional to HMFF, penetration attributed to seal leakage is linear relative to FF.
April 11, 2025 at 4:11 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
I was wondering if it might just be more tests -> more positives, but I don't think so - positivity seems high:

Alternatively: more severe variant (BA.2.86?) -> more hospitalisations -> more + tests in hospital?
April 5, 2025 at 6:24 AM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
10/53: Jänzi

Quite a spectacular morning.
The view from Jänzi, a peak in the Alps in Obwalden (near Luzern). In the background you can see a mountain panorama and bits of a lake, in the foreground are some trees and snow on the ground. The sun starts to rise behind the mountains, in the midground the village of Stalden and its church steeple can be seen. A view on the climb to Jänzi. In the foreground is a mountain path rising from right to left. On the right is part of a farmhouse. The bqckground is an alpine panorama with snow-covered peaks.
March 22, 2025 at 11:04 AM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
9/53: a dreich day up at Alp Unterbüelen. I was led to believe that there's a view up here 🧐.
The view from Alp Unterbüelen: it's mostly fog. In the foreground a snowy hillside can be seen, with some trees peeking out of the fog here and there. Hillside in a sparse forest. The ground in the foreground has a partial dusting of snow.
March 15, 2025 at 6:38 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
8/53: spring has finally arrived
Panorama of and from the hills in Entlebuch. In the distant background the Alps, including Mt. pilatus can be seen. In the foreground are some tree. The sun shines through a sparse group of mostly barren trees. I suppose they'll grow a covering soon. Looking down a semi-steep path, with the sun rising above the hills in the background.
March 9, 2025 at 2:44 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
There's a common misconception that N95s/FFP2s filter at 95%/94% efficiency. No - real filtration is much higher - these numbers refer to very specific circumstances irrelevant in reality.

There's no need to believe me - here's what OSHA (and L. Brosseau) have to say about it:
OSHA requested comment in question 7 of the proposal on whether it should limit full facepiece negative pressure respirators to an APF of 20 when N95 filters are used. The NIOSH certification tests for 42 CFR part 84 filters are conducted using monodisperse aerosols of the most penetrating particle size (0.3 [mu]m) delivered at a high flow rate of 85 liters per minute. Also, the 42 CFR part 84 certification standards allow up to 5% filter leakage with an N95 filter. If this level of leakage were to occur in the workplace, an APF of 20 would be appropriate for a full facepiece respirator using N95 filters. However, as several commenters noted (Exs. 9-16, 9-22, 9-23, 9-37, 10-6, 10-17, 10-27, 10-59, and 10-60), workplace filter penetration is always much less than filter penetration estimated from certification testing. Kenneth Bobetich of MSA (Ex. 9-37) stated that while 5% leakage is the worst case, such leakage does not occur in the workplace. Compared to the aerosols used in certification testing, workplace aerosols are not monodisperse, are many times larger, and are delivered through the filters at a lower flow rate. In addition, the 3M Company (Ex. 9-16) cited studies performed by Janssen (Exs. 9-16-1-3 and 9-16-1-4) that compared the performance of N95 and P100 filters made by two manufacturers and used during grinding operations in a steel plant. Workplace performance of both filters was equivalent statistically, and the study showed that N95 filter performance was adequate under these conditions. Lisa Brosseau of the University of Minnesota (Ex. 10-59) stated that it was entirely inappropriate for OSHA to consider a 5% leakage effect for N95 filters because such leakage would only occur when the aerosol is monodisperse and of a small size, conditions that she said are unlikely to occur in most workplaces.
March 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
FFP2 vs FFP3: this SWPF-ish study suggests that they both offer equivalent protection:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Key limitation: includes only 2 manufacturers (for one: the FFP2 model was superior, for the other the FFP3 model was superior).
F-values against particles in size range of 0.093–1.61 𝜇m for FFP1, FFP2, and FFP3 respirators manufactured by company A. The tests were performed when the FFP respirators were donned on human subjects. Total observations are 30 (30 subjects). Range for FFP3 is slightly higher than for FFP2. PF-values against particles in size range of 0.093–1.61 𝜇m for FFP1, FFP2, and FFP3 respirators manufactured by company B. The tests were performed when the FFP respirators were donned on human subjects. Total observations are 30 (30 subjects). Range for FFP2 is slightly higher than FFP3.
March 2, 2025 at 11:31 AM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
7/53: Chatzenstrick (Switzerland) - near the Einsiedeln of does-or-does-not the leader of a far-right German party actually live here and not in Germany controversy fame.
Panorama of the Rothenthurm valley. The ground has a light covering of snow. Bull standing in the yard: what are you looking at?
March 2, 2025 at 11:01 AM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Incidentally, side effects profile looks a little better with all the usual caveats:
February 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
A 2024 manufacturer-funded study suggests that Bimervax XBB produces a similar response to Comirnaty XBB.

Which means: Bimervax might be a reasonable option *if* they can manage to produce updates and get them approved sooner...
The humoral response against SARS-CoV-2 variants Omicron XBB.1.16, Omicron XBB.1.5, and Omicron JN.1 induced by BNT62n2 XBB and PHH-1V81 at day 14. (A) The GMT for the adjusted treatment against the Omicron XBB.1.16 variant for each vaccinated group (PHH-1V81 group; n = 406 and BNT62b2 XBB; n = 193) by PBNA; (B) the GMT for the adjusted treatment against the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant for each vaccinated group (PHH-1V81 group; n = 406 and BNT62b2 XBB; n = 193) by PBNA; (C) the GMT for the adjusted treatment against the Omicron JN.1 variant for a subset of n = 100 participants (n = 65 with PHH-1V81 and n = 35 with BNT62b2 XBB1.5) by VNA. Graphics (A–C) represent the mean GMT with 95% CI at baseline (with a bar) and 14 days after booster (dark grey bar); the upper numbers represent the mean GMFR at day 14 from the baseline. CI: confidence interval; GMT: geometric mean titer; GMFR: geometric mean fold rise. N-γ-producing T cells upon PBMC re-stimulation with SARS-CoV-2-derived peptide pools by the vaccine arm. The frequencies of IFN-γ responses determined by ELISpot assay in PBMCs from the subgroup of participants immunized with PHH-1V81 (n = 27) and BNT162b2 XBB.1.5 (n = 13). PBMCs were isolated before the boost immunization (baseline) and 2 weeks (D14) after the boost with PHH-1V81 and BNT162b2 XBB.1.5 vaccines; stimulated with RBD Omicron XBB.1.5, Omicron XBB.1.16, and Omicron JN.1 peptides’ pools; and analyzed by an IFN-γ-specific ELISpot assay. Within-group contrasts have been displayed in the plots, comparing the extent of IFN-γ+ response between timepoints in each treatment arm. Statistically significant differences between baseline and day 14 are shown in blue color as * p < 0.01; ** p < 0.001; IFN-γ: interferon-γ; PBMCs: peripheral blood mononuclear cells whole; RBD: receptor binding domain.
February 27, 2025 at 6:32 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Comparing against the old one: some layers are junk, some are out of our control, some are gone. Sometimes you might be able to influence the air quality, yet all too often that's impossible.
February 15, 2025 at 11:20 AM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
The Swiss cheese model - updated for 2025.

Slightly closer to reality than the old one.
Illustration with 3 slices of cheese. Title: "Swiss" Cheese Model 2025 Slice 1: Other people staying home when sick. A large slice of cheese, with a huge circular hole covering 90% of the slice. Slice 2: My FFP2/N95/etc. A solid slice with a few nibbles around the edges (representing seal leakage). Slice 3: (What) ventilation. The same as the first slice: a huge ciruclar hole covers 90% of the slice.
February 15, 2025 at 11:16 AM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Waaseli?
Leicht verwirrte Schweizer Kuh schaut zurück aus ihrem Stall.
February 11, 2025 at 6:52 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Does it actually matter? Maybe - I sometimes see a lot of variability during each exercise:

(That's aside from the topic of increased error, which IMHO is negligible relative to this issue?)
A graph showing approx 60s of specimen sample data from an OSHA fit-test. Values range from 10 to 90 particles per cubic centimeter, with a lot variability.
February 9, 2025 at 3:31 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
QNFT per-exercise sample times by protocol:
4-dragons meme: Title: QNFT per-exerics sample durations Dragon 1 - a serious dragon: HSE, 60s (UK) Dragon 2 - another serious dragon: OSHA, 30-40s (US, AUS+NZ?) Dragon 3 - another serious dragon: ISO, 60s (AUS '30) Dragon 4- the goofy dragon: CSA, 10s (CA)
February 9, 2025 at 3:31 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
I was only able to find one country in the intersection of "countries that require fit-testing" and "countries that consider FFP3 to offer superior protection to FFP2" (or local equivalent).
Venn diagram with 3 circles: - Circle 1: "APF: FFP3 > FFP2 or N99 > N95 or "we don't even certify these" > disposable P2. Contains "DE" and "Most/all of EU?". - Circle 2: Countries that require fit-testing, contains AUS, NZ, CA, USA, SG - Circle 3: countries that require you to exercise during a fit-test. Empty, except for: - Intersection of all 3 circles, contains: UK.
February 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
6/53: Marbach LU.

Odd creatures.
A startled cow peeks out of its byre. Is it telling me to stop disturbing its lunch? A clown on a tree stump. Lots of these around these days, but typically not on a tree stump. Another view of the snowy mountains. A view of the snowy mountains.
February 8, 2025 at 3:22 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
Have a great weekend everyone!

Mine mightn't be.
Front cover of the book "How to make yourself miserable" by Dan Greenburg with Marcia Jacobs.
February 7, 2025 at 5:43 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
<Product name omitted for my own safety>

(JK, no one's paying any attention.)
Fit-factors from an OSHA fit test on a graph. Exercises 1-4 are around 200-500. Exercise 5 drops to 20ish, Exercise 6 to 2, exercise 7 rises to around 10, and exercise 8 to 20.
February 6, 2025 at 5:05 PM
grumpyparticle.bsky.social
5/53: fairly foggy.
The Friedhofskapelle Einsiedeln hides in the fog, nestled between some trees. The sun hints at its presence at the top. The ground in the foreground is covered in snow. A stone fish on a fountain spouts a continuous stream of water. The background is indistinguishably foggy. A cross sits between two trees, with flowers at its foot. A dock floats on (sits in?) a frozen lake.
February 2, 2025 at 6:39 PM