Variations in fundamental frequency peak position in Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) coo calls.

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) produce coo calls whose use in various contexts is correlated with differences in the relative temporal position of the peak value of a call's fundamental frequency (S. Green, 1975). Studies have produced conflicting results about both the location of the category boundary between smooth early high and smooth late high coo subtypes and macaques' perceptual sensitivity to variations in peak position. In this study, fundamental frequency peak positions were measured in 578 coos produced by 8 captive adult female Japanese macaques in order to test whether calls with peak positions close to either of 2 hypothesized boundaries occurred at low rates. Overall, such calls were found to occur at rates equal to or higher than predicted by chance. Peak position varied more consistently between animals than by behavioral context. The results may indicate that peak position in coos does not form 2 distinct categories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of Serum Volume Losses During Long-Term Storage

Aliquots of serum collected in a large case-control study of cervical cancer were stored at −70°C for up to 4 years during implementation of the study. When 500 μL serum aliquots were thawed in preparation for carotenoid and vitamin A assays, volumes were noticeably variable and fell below 500 μL in the majority of the samples. We were concerned about evaporation/sublimation during storage of the samples because loss of water would concentrate the analytes of interest. We evaluated the use of density and sodium ion concentration measurements to confirm its occurrence. We found that serum density was an unreliable indicator of extent of volume loss since the anticipated increases in density due to evaporation were of the same magnitude as inter-individual variation in serum density. In contrast, Na⁺ concentration is tightly regulated and would rise if water had been lost from the samples. In a representative sample of serum aliquots from the case-control study, 24 of 25 vials contained less than 500 μL of serum. The mean sodium ion concentration (138.1 ± 3.6 mmol/L) was within the normal range for human serum of 136–145 mmol/L, and no correlation was observed between serum volume and Na⁺ concentration. These results strongly suggest that the observed low volumes were not due to evaporative losses. Instead, the variably low volumes of serum aliquots were probably due to pipetting errors in the initial aliquotting resulting from the use of air-displacement pipettes.     

Single-Circulating Tumor Cell Whole Genome Amplification to Unravel Cancer Heterogeneity and Actionable Biomarkers

The field of single-cell analysis has advanced rapidly in the last decade and is providing new insights into the characterization of intercellular genetic heterogeneity and complexity, especially in human cancer. In this regard, analyzing single circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is becoming particularly attractive due to the easy access to CTCs from simple blood samples called “liquid biopsies”. Analysis of multiple single CTCs has the potential to allow the identification and characterization of cancer heterogeneity to guide best therapy and predict therapeutic response. However, single-CTC analysis is restricted by the low amounts of DNA in a single cell genome. Whole genome amplification (WGA) techniques have emerged as a key step, enabling single-cell downstream molecular analysis. Here, we provide an overview of recent advances in WGA and their applications in the genetic analysis of single CTCs, along with prospective views towards clinical applications. First, we focus on the technical challenges of isolating and recovering single CTCs and then explore different WGA methodologies and recent developments which have been utilized to amplify single cell genomes for further downstream analysis. Lastly, we list a portfolio of CTC studies which employ WGA and single-cell analysis for genetic heterogeneity and biomarker detection.     

Pre-Omicron Vaccine Breakthrough Infection Induces Superior Cross-Neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 Compared to Infection Alone

SARS-CoV-2 variants raise concern because of their high transmissibility and their ability to evade neutralizing antibodies elicited by prior infection or by vaccination. Here, we compared the neutralizing abilities of sera from 70 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients infected before the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) and of 16 vaccine breakthrough infection (BTI) cases infected with Gamma or Delta against the ancestral B.1 strain, the Gamma, Delta and Omicron BA.1 VOCs using live virus. We further determined antibody levels against the Nucleocapsid (N) and full Spike proteins, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the Spike protein. Convalescent sera featured considerable variability in the neutralization of B.1 and in the cross-neutralization of different strains. Their neutralizing capacity moderately correlated with antibody levels against the Spike protein and the RBD. All but one convalescent serum failed to neutralize Omicron BA.1. Overall, convalescent sera from patients with moderate disease had higher antibody levels and displayed a higher neutralizing ability against all strains than patients with mild or severe forms of the disease. The sera from BTI cases fell into one of two categories: half the sera had a high neutralizing activity against the ancestral B.1 strain as well as against the infecting strain, while the other half had no or a very low neutralizing activity against all strains. Although antibody levels against the spike protein and the RBD were lower in BTI sera than in unvaccinated convalescent sera, most neutralizing sera also retained partial neutralizing activity against Omicron BA.1, suggestive of a better cross-neutralization and higher affinity of vaccine-elicited antibodies over virus-induced antibodies. Accordingly, the IC50: antibody level ratios were comparable for BTI and convalescent sera, but remained lower in the neutralizing convalescent sera from patients with moderate disease than in BTI sera. The neutralizing activity of BTI sera was strongly correlated with antibodies against the Spike protein and the RBD. Together, these findings highlight qualitative differences in antibody responses elicited by infection in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. They further indicate that breakthrough infection with a pre-Omicron variant boosts immunity and induces cross-neutralizing antibodies against different strains, including Omicron BA.1.     

Implementation of energy efficiency measures in compressed air systems: barriers,drivers and non-energy benefits

Increased global competition and resource scarcity drives industrial companies to cut costs. Energy can be a significant component of such cuts, particularly for energy-intensive companies. Improving energy efficiency in industry is complex, as it pertains to various energy-using processes that are heavily intertwined. One such process is the compressed air system (CAS), which is used in most industrial companies worldwide. Since energy efficiency improvement measures for various types of energy-using processes differ, technology-specific measures might encounter different barriers to and drivers for energy efficiency. The same applies to the non-energy benefits (NEBs) related to energy efficiency improvement measures; since measures vary between various energy-using processes, the perceived NEBs might be different as well. The aim of this paper is to study the barriers to, drivers for and NEBs of CAS energy efficiency improvement measures from the perspectives of three actors. Carried out as an interview study combined with a questionnaire, the paper merges the perspectives of users, audit experts and suppliers of CASs. The results showed that the major barriers are related to the investment, or are of an organisational character, and that organisational and economic factors seemed to be important for making positive decisions on energy efficiency investments and measures in CASs. Major NEBs for CASs include productivity gains and the avoidance of capital expenditures. The results of this study also address the importance of having a comprehensive approach to recognise additional effects of energy efficiency improvements in CASs.     

Anteil erneuerbarer Energien und klimarelevante CO2-Emissionen aus der thermischen Verwertung von Abfällen in Österreich

Since combustible wastes usually consist of biogenic (e.g. paper, wood, food waste) and fossil organic matter (plastics), their thermal recovery results in climate neutral and climate relevant CO₂ emissions. Moreover, the fraction of biogenic materials in the waste feed is relevant for the amount of renewable energy produced. The latter has to be reported and might be subsidized according to national laws (e.g. based on European directive 2009/28/EG). The present study represents the first comprehensive evaluation of the share of biogenic and fossil materials in the waste feed of waste-to-energy (WTE) plants on a national basis. The Balance Method, which is patented on a European level by TU Wien, was applied to 10 out of 13 Austrian WTE plants (around 2.3 Mio tons of waste corresponding to around 88 % of the overall waste feed in Austrian WTE plants). The method is based on the mathematical reconciliation of the material properties (e.g. mean chemical composition of biogenic and fossil materials) and routinely recorded operating data of WTE plants (e.g. flue gas volume, CO₂ and O₂-content in the dry flue gas, steam production). The results demonstrate large variations for the share of energy from biogenic sources in the different WTE plants, ranging from 35.7 ± 2.4 % to 61.2 ± 2.7 % (based on annual averages). Additionally, for several WTE plants large temporal variations can be observed based on monthly mean values. Thus, a plant-specific and continuous evaluation of the waste composition in WTE plants (which the Balance Method allows to do at reasonable efforts) can be recommended for a reliable reporting of the renewable share of energy or fossil CO₂ emissions from waste incineration. The energy input which stems from fossil and biogenic sources can be estimated to 11,450 ± 120 TJ and 10,730 ± 110 TJ, respectively for the year 2014 (for the 10 WTE plants). In total 1060 ± 24 kt fossil CO₂ emissions from the thermal recovery of waste in Austria’s WTE plants in 2014 could be determined (estimation for all 13 WTE plants).     

A life cycle approach to modeling sea lamprey population dynamics in the Lake Champlain basin to evaluate alternative control strategies

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a nuisance species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and Lake Champlain that has devastated native fish populations and hampered sport fisheries development. We developed a modified stage-based life history matrix for sea lamprey to analyze the effects of various management efforts to suppress sea lamprey population growth in Lake Champlain. These efforts targeted different life stages of the sea lamprey life cycle. A beta distribution was used to distribute stochastic larval populations among twenty sea lamprey-bearing tributaries and five deltas to Lake Champlain, from which sea lamprey that survive through larval metamorphosis were then pooled into a lake-wide parasitic-phase population. Parasitic-phase survival to the spawning stage was evaluated based on proximity to the natal tributary and on the size of the resident larval population in each tributary. Potential control strategies were modeled at egg to emergence, larval, and spawning stages to reduce vital rates at each stage, with the goal of suppressing parasitic-phase production. Simulations indicate that control of the larval stage was essential to achieving this goal, and with supplemental effort to reduce the vital rates at early life stages and at the spawning stage, the parasitic-phase population can be further suppressed. Sensitivity simulations indicate that the life history model was sensitive to egg deposition rate, abundance of parasitic-phase sea lamprey from unknown, uncontrolled sources, and the method in which parasitic-phase sea lamprey select tributaries for spawning. Results from this model can guide management agencies to optimize future management programs.