Development of multiplexed real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for detecting human adenoviruses.

Adenoviruses (AdVs) have been associated with a wide variety of human disease and are increasingly recognized as viral pathogens that can cause significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Early detection of AdV DNA in plasma and sterile fluids has been shown to be useful for identifying patients at risk for invasive AdV disease. Because of the large number of existing Adv types, few real-time quantitative AdV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays published effectively cover all AdV types. We designed a series of AdV PCR primers and probes and empirically multiplexed them into 2 separate real-time PCR assays to quantitatively detect all 49 serotypes of human AdV (types 1-49) available from American Type Culture Collection. We then subsequently multiplexed all the primers and probes into 1 reaction. The sensitivity of these assays was determined to be less than 10 copies per reaction (500 copies/mL plasma). In a retrospective evaluation, we detected all 84 clinical AdV isolates isolated in cell culture from patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation between 1981 and 1987. Prospective analysis of 46 consecutive clinical samples submitted for AdV testing showed greater sensitivity and equal specificity of the AdV PCR than viral culture. This real-time PCR assay allows rapid, sensitive, and specific quantification of all currently defined AdVs into either 2 or 1 multiplex assay for clinical samples

Power Sector Vision Towards 100% Renewable Electricity by 2050 In Greater Mekong Region - Vietnam Report Part A

Part A was prepared by Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance(VSEA), leading by the Clean Energy and Sustainable Developmentlab (CleanED/USTH), as a technical summary of the full report.Editor in Chief & Technical Editor of the full report: Jean-Philippe DenruyterThe full report has been prepared by Intelligent Energy Systems PtyLtd (IES) and Mekong Economics (MKE) in relation to provisionof services to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).Although electricity from renewable resources, primarilyfrom hydro energy, has been increasing in Vietnam inthe last two decades, fossil fuel-based electricity stilldominates the power generation system in the country.The share of power generation capacity from coal andgas was nearly 54% in 2015 . This share is expected to further increase in the coming yearsbased on the official power development plan of Vietnam, despite Vietnamese fossil energyresources being scarce, with its oil and gas reserves likely to be depleted in the few decadesto come . Hence, a necessary question is: could Vietnam be successful in achieving a lowcarbon power system and pursue a low carbon economy in the next few decades? Or willthe country continue its dependence on fossil fuels?The Intelligent Energy Systems Pty Ltd (“IES”) and Mekong Economics (“MKE”) werecommissioned by WWF – Greater Mekong Programme Office (“WWF-GMPO”) toundertake a project called “Power Sector Vision: Alternatives for power generation inthe Greater Mekong Sub-region”. This was to develop scenarios for the power sectorof countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) that are in line with WWF’s GlobalEnergy Vision that outlines a 100% renewable energy supply by 2050. The objectivesof WWF’s energy vision are: (i) contribute to reduction of global greenhouse emissions(reduction by >80% based on1990 levels by 2050); (ii) reduce dependency on unsustainablehydro and nuclear power; (iii) enhance energy access; (iv) take advantage of new technologiesand solutions; (v) enhance power sector planning frameworks: multi-stakeholder participatoryprocess; and (vi) develop enhancements for energy policy frameworks.The purpose of Power Sector Vision report is to provide detailed country-level descriptionsof three scenarios for the power sector of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (Viet Nam):• Business as Usual (BAU) power generation development path which is based oncurrent power planning practices, current policy objectives.• Sustainable Energy Sector (SES) scenario, where measures are taken to maximallydeploy renewable energy and energy efficiency measures to achieve a near-100%renewable energy power sector; and• Advanced Sustainable Energy Sector (ASES) scenario, which assumes a more rapidadvancement and deployment of new and renewable technologies as compared to theSES.The scenarios were based on public data, independent assessments of resource potentials,information obtained from published reports and power system modelling of the GMSregion for the period 2015 to 2050