The western US and British Columbia are currently experiencing an infestation of bark beetles that are a potentially destructive force in forest ecosystems.
The western US and British Columbia are currently experiencing an infestation of bark beetles that are a potentially destructive force in forest ecosystems. By boring into the bark the beetles release gases from the trunks. However, up until now, it was not known how these insect attacks affect the atmosphere.1
The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were collected from bark beetle infested and healthy lodgepole pine trees and from sites with and without active mountain pine beetle infestation using sorbent traps. The sorbent traps were then extracted with hexane and the extracts separated and detected using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Canister samples were also collected and analysed. Bark beetle infested trees were found to release up to 20 times more VOCs than healthy trees. It was also found that ß-phellandrene emissions correlated with bark beetle infestation.
The team concluded that an increase in the quantity of VOC emissions is a useful tool for identifying bark beetle infestation and for indicating when VOCs are at a level that can harm both the environment and human health.
1. Kara E. Huff Hartz et al., Environmental Science & Technology, DOI: 10.1021/es204205m
This story originally appeared in The Column. Click here to view that issue.
AI and GenAI Applications to Help Optimize Purification and Yield of Antibodies From Plasma
October 31st 2024Deriving antibodies from plasma products involves several steps, typically starting from the collection of plasma and ending with the purification of the desired antibodies. These are: plasma collection; plasma pooling; fractionation; antibody purification; concentration and formulation; quality control; and packaging and storage. This process results in a purified antibody product that can be used for therapeutic purposes, diagnostic tests, or research. Each step is critical to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of the final product. Applications of AI/GenAI in many of these steps can significantly help in the optimization of purification and yield of the desired antibodies. Some specific use-cases are: selecting and optimizing plasma units for optimized plasma pooling; GenAI solution for enterprise search on internal knowledge portal; analysing and optimizing production batch profitability, inventory, yields; monitoring production batch key performance indicators for outlier identification; monitoring production equipment to predict maintenance events; and reducing quality control laboratory testing turnaround time.
2024 EAS Awardees Showcase Innovative Research in Analytical Science
November 20th 2024Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Washington, and other leading institutions took the stage at the Eastern Analytical Symposium to accept awards and share insights into their research.