Locations In Austria Research Articles

Unravelling the microbiome of wild flowering plants: a comparative study of leaves and flowers in alpine ecosystems

BackgroundWhile substantial research has explored rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, knowledge on flower microbiome, particularly in wild plants remains limited. This study explores into the diversity, abundance, and composition of bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers of wild flowering plants in their natural alpine habitat, considering the influence of environmental factors.MethodsWe investigated 50 wild flowering plants representing 22 families across seven locations in Austria. Sampling sites encompassed varied soil types (carbonate/silicate) and altitudes (450–2760 m). Amplicon sequencing to characterize bacterial and fungal communities and quantitative PCR to assess microbial abundance was applied, and the influence of biotic and abiotic factors assessed.ResultsOur study revealed distinct bacterial and fungal communities on leaves and flowers, with higher diversity and richness on leaves (228 fungal and 91 bacterial ASVs) than on flowers (163 fungal and 55 bacterial ASVs). In addition, Gammaproteobacteria on flowers and Alphaproteobacteria on leaves suggests niche specialization for plant compartments. Location significantly shaped both community composition and fungal diversity on both plant parts. Notably, soil type influenced community composition but not diversity. Altitude was associated with increased fungal species diversity on leaves and flowers. Furthermore, significant effects of plant family identity emerged within a subset of seven families, impacting bacterial and fungal abundance, fungal Shannon diversity, and bacterial species richness, particularly on flowers.ConclusionThis study provides novel insights into the specific microbiome of wild flowering plants, highlighting adaptations to local environments and plant–microbe coevolution. The observed specificity indicates a potential role in plant health and resilience, which is crucial for predicting how microbiomes respond to changing environments, ultimately aiding in the conservation of natural ecosystems facing climate change pressures.

Monitoring of Astroviruses, Brno-Hantaviruses, Coronaviruses, Influenza Viruses, Bornaviruses, Morbilliviruses, Lyssaviruses and Pestiviruses in Austrian Bats.

Here, we report the results of a monitoring study of bat viruses in Austria to strengthen the knowledge of circulating viruses in Austrian bat populations. In this study, we analyzed 618 oropharyngeal and rectal swab samples from 309 bats and 155 pooled tissue samples from dead bats. Samples were collected from 18 different bat species from multiple locations in Austria, from November 2015 to April 2018, and examined for astroviruses, bornaviruses, coronaviruses, hantaviruses, morbilliviruses, orthomyxoviruses (influenza A/C/D viruses), pestiviruses and rhabdoviruses (lyssaviruses) using molecular techniques and sequencing. Using RT-qPCR, 36 samples revealed positive or suspicious results for astroviruses, Brno-hantaviruses, and coronaviruses in nine different bat species. Further sequencing revealed correspondent sequences in five samples. In contrast, none of the tested samples was positive for influenza viruses A/C/D, bornaviruses, morbilliviruses, lyssaviruses, or pestiviruses.

Short-Term Solar Irradiance Prediction with a Hybrid Ensemble Model Using EUMETSAT Satellite Images

Accurate short-term solar irradiance forecasting is crucial for the efficient operation of solar energy-driven photovoltaic (PV) power plants. In this research, we introduce a novel hybrid ensemble forecasting model that amalgamates the strengths of machine learning tree-based models and deep learning neuron-based models. The hybrid ensemble model integrates the interpretability of tree-based models with the capacity of neuron-based models to capture complex temporal dependencies within solar irradiance data. Furthermore, stacking and voting ensemble strategies are employed to harness the collective strengths of these models, significantly enhancing the prediction accuracy. This integrated methodology is enhanced by incorporating pixels from satellite images provided by the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). These pixels are converted into structured data arrays and employed as exogenous inputs in the algorithm. The primary objective of this study is to improve the accuracy of short-term solar irradiance predictions, spanning a forecast horizon up to 6 h ahead. The incorporation of EUMETSAT satellite image pixel data enables the model to extract valuable spatial and temporal information, thus enhancing the overall forecasting precision. This research also includes a detailed analysis of the derivation of the GHI using satellite images. The study was carried out and the models tested across three distinct locations in Austria. A detailed comparative analysis was carried out for traditional satellite (SAT) and numerical weather prediction (NWP) models with hybrid models. Our findings demonstrate a higher skill score for all of the approaches compared to a smart persistent model and consistently highlight the superiority of the hybrid ensemble model for a short-term prediction window of 1 to 6 h. This research underscores the potential for enhanced accuracy of the hybrid approach to advance short-term solar irradiance forecasting, emphasizing its effectiveness at understanding the intricate interplay of the meteorological variables affecting solar energy generation worldwide. The results of this investigation carry noteworthy implications for advancing solar energy systems, thereby supporting the sustainable integration of renewable energy sources into the electrical grid.

Parasites of firebugs in Austria with focus on the “micro”-diversity of the cosmopolitan trypanosomatid Leptomonas pyrrhocoris

In this work, we investigated parasites of the firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus in Austria and demonstrated that in addition to the extensively studied Leptomonas pyrrhocoris, it can also be infected by Blastocrithidia sp. and by a mermithid, which for the first time has been characterized using molecular methods. This diversity can be explained by the gregarious lifestyle, as well as the coprophagous and cannibalistic behavior of the insect hosts that makes them susceptible to various parasites. In addition, we showed no tight association of the L. pyrrhocoris haplotypes and geographical locations (at least, considering the relatively small scale of locations in Austria) implying that the natural populations of L. pyrrhocoris are mixed due to the mobility of their firebug hosts.

New Finds and Ecology of the Rare Liverworts Scapania apiculata, Scapania carinthiaca, and Scapania scapanioides in Austria.

Scapania apiculata, Scapania carinthiaca, and Scapania scapanioides are rare deadwood-dwelling liverworts threatened across Europe. Scapania carinthiaca is thus listed in the Habitats Directive. However, their distribution data are scattered, and their ecologic demands are insufficiently studied. Here, we present new locations and data on the ecology of the species, which resulted from a targeted search in selected regions of Austria. We found ten new sites each for Scapania apiculata and Scapania scapanioides and twenty for Scapania carinthiaca. Reproduction was exclusively asexual. The macroclimates of all known locations in Austria did not differ significantly between the three species. It was consistently wet, with a mean annual precipitation of 1615.3 mm, a high evenness of rainfall, and a low desiccation risk. The mean temperature averaged 7.4 °C. The habitat was shaded dead wood of Picea abies, Abies alba, and Fagus sylvatica of all decay stages at a median distance of 2.5 m from streams or springy areas in semi-natural forests of montane and submontane regions. Thus, high deadwood volumes under a suitable climate are a prerequisite for the occurrences of the species. The number of locations of new finds has more than doubled in Austria and thus in Europe.

Spectral Library of European Pegmatites, Pegmatite Minerals and Pegmatite Host-Rocks – the GREENPEG project database

Abstract. The New Exploration Tools for European Pegmatite Green-Tech Resources (GREENPEG) spectral database contains the spectral signature, obtained through reflectance spectroscopy studies, of European pegmatites and minerals as well as their host rocks. Samples include pegmatites of the Nb–Y–F (NYF) and Li–Cs–Ta (LCT) chemical types and host rocks from pegmatite locations in Austria, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, and Spain. The database contains the reflectance spectra (raw and continuum-removed spectra), sample photographs, and main absorption features automatically extracted by a self-proposed Python routine. Whenever possible, spectral mineralogy was interpreted based on the continuum-removed spectra. A detailed description of the database, its content and structure, the measuring instrument, and interoperability with geographic information system (GIS) tools is available in this database report. Moreover, examples of how the data can be used and interpreted are also provided. The advantages and added value of the presented dataset reside in its European scale, with representative samples from pegmatites with distinct genesis, mineralogy, structure, and host rocks that can be used as a reference for pegmatite exploration at a global scale via, for example, satellite image processing. The reported spectral mineral assemblages can also be of interest when considering resource estimation or ore processing. Thus, it is expected that this open dataset, available on the Zenodo platform https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6518318 (Cardoso-Fernandes et al., 2022b), will be a reference for distinct types of users, ranging from academia to industry.

Respiratory syncytial virus surge in 2022 caused by lineages already present before the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Austria experienced a severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) epidemic with an earlier-than-usual start (Weeks 35/2021-45/2022) and increased numbers of pediatric patients in emergency departments. This surge came 2 years after a season with no cases detected as a result of coronavirus disease 2019 nonpharmaceutical interventions. We analyzed epidemiologic patterns and the phylodynamics of RSV based on approximately 30 800 respiratory specimens collected year-round over 10 years from ambulatory and hospitalized patients from 248 locations in Austria. Genomic surveillance and phylogenetic analysis of 186 RSV-A and 187 RSV-B partial glycoprotein sequences collected from 2018 to 2022 revealed that the 2022/2023 surge was driven by RSV-B in contrast to the surge in the 2021/2022 season that was driven by RSV-A. Whole-genome sequencing and phylodynamic analysis indicated that the RSV-B strain GB5.0.6a was the predominant genotype in the 2022/2023 season and emerged in late 2019. The results provide insight into RSV evolution and epidemiology that will be applicable to future monitoring efforts with the advent of novel vaccines and therapeutics.

The state of HEMA in 2021: The German & Austrian HEMA census

To understand the Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) community, its weapon disciplines, organisational structure and gender, a HEMA census was conducted in 2021 for Germany and Austria and in 2019 for Germany. The 2021 census captures 3186 HEMA practitioners training in 124 locations in Germany and 801 practitioners training in 34 locations in Austria. It is the most comprehensive and detailed dataset of its kind to date. It shows that most HEMA groups are organised as an independent Verein or as part of an umbrella Verein.1 The pandemic had an average effect on the number of practitioners and primarily impacted commercial schools with a 20% reduction in membership. 20% (Germany) and 27.5% (Austria) of all practitioners are identified as female, while 0.75% (Germany) and 3.9% (Austria) of practitioners are identified as nonbinary. Longsword is the most popular weapon discipline, being trained at over 88% of locations in both countries. Runner-up disciplines trained at 40% to 44% of locations include Long Knife, Dagger, Sword & Buckler, Historical Wrestling (Germany), and Dagger, Sword & Buckler and Polearms (Austria). Two-handed swords saw the biggest increase in training locations during the pandemic. HEMA hotspots are in South Germany (Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg), where nearly 39% of all German practitioners train, and in Eastern Austria (Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland), where over 55% of all Austrian practitioners train.

Development and comparison of local solar split models on the example of Central Europe

Solar radiation influences many and diverse fields like energy generation, agriculture and building operation. Hence, simulation models in these fields often rely on precise information about solar radiation. Measurements are often restricted to global irradiance, whereby measurements of its single components, direct and diffuse irradiance, are sparse. However, information on both, the direct and diffuse irradiance, is necessary for simulation models to work reliably. In this study, solar separation models are developed using 10-min training data from two different locations in Austria. Direct horizontal irradiance is predicted via regressing the direct fraction using several objective functions. The models are first trained on a data set including data from both locations, and evaluated regarding root mean squared deviation (RMSD), mean bias deviation (MBD), and coefficient of determination (R2) on measured and estimated direct normal irradiance. The two best performing models are then selected for further analysis. This analysis comprises of an evaluation of the models per season, transferability of trained modes between two locations in Austria, a transferability and generalisability study conducted for four more locations in Central Europe, and a comparison with the trusted Engerer model. The solar separation model with polynomial terms up to order three and Ridge regularisation outperforms the second model based a logistic term in combination with mixed quadratic terms as well as the Engerer model.

P11.33.B Tumour Treating Fields (TTFields; 200 kHz) with chemo-radiation and maintenance TTFields/temozolomide as first-line treatment for newly-diagnosed glioblastoma: The phase 3 TRIDENT Trial (EF-32)

Abstract Background Tumour Treating Fields therapy (TTFields; 200 kHz) is a noninvasive, loco-regional, antimitotic treatment approved for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (ndGBM) and mesothelioma. In the phase 3 EF-14 trial, TTFields/temozolomide (TMZ) significantly increased overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) vs TMZ alone in patients with ndGBM. TTFields-related adverse events (AEs) were mainly dermatological with no increases in systemic toxicity. In preclinical models, the addition of TTFields to radiotherapy (RT) increased the therapeutic effect. In 2 clinical pilot phase 2 studies, TTFields added to RT/TMZ was reported as feasible and well-tolerated. Material and Methods TRIDENT (EF-32; NCT04471844) is an international, phase 3 randomised trial comparing TTFields (200 KHz, ≥ 18 h/day)/RT/TMZ vs RT/TMZ alone. Eligibility criteria include histologically confirmed ndGBM, ≥ 18 years of age (≥ 22 years of age; US), Karnofsky Performance Status ≥ 70, life expectancy ≥ 3 months, adequate organ function and eligible for RT/TMZ - participants will be stratified by extent-of-resection and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status. During the initial 6-week investigational period, patients in the experimental arm will receive continuous TTFields and concomitant RT/TMZ whilst patients in the control arm will receive only RT/TMZ. Subsequently, all patients will receive TTFields and 6 cycles of maintenance TTFields/TMZ. TTFields will continue for 24 months or until second disease progression per Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO), whichever occurs first. The primary endpoint is median OS. Secondary endpoints include median PFS (RANO), 1- and 2-year survival rates, overall radiological response (RANO), PFS6, PFS12, severity and frequency of AEs (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0), post-treatment pathological changes in resected GBM tumours, quality-of-life per EORTC QLQ-C30, OS correlation to TTFields duration-of-usage, and neurological assessment per NANO (Neurological Assessment in Neuro-Oncology) and RANO criteria. Survival will be measured from time-of-randomisation. Sample size (N = 950; randomised 1:1) was powered for a hazard ratio < 0.8 with a 5% type I error. The hypothesis, that first-line TTFields/RT/TMZ can significantly improve OS vs RT/TMZ, will be tested using a stratified log-rank test. The study is currently open to enrollment in locations in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, and across the US.

Measurements of Human Exposure to EMF from 4G systems: some experimental issues in urban environments

Assessments of human exposure to EMF in urban environments represent one of the most complex tasks because of the factors causing large temporal variations and spatial non-uniformities of the measurement results among which are increased number of RF sources, numerous reflections, and scattering objects. In this sense, human exposure to 4G systems became a real challenge due to its current wide spreading. Following the guidelines provided by the relevant technical standards in force, this paper describes the experimental results achieved by performing a long-term analysis for several days and weeks on three network operators and three frequency bands adopted in Italy for 4G communications. In particular, the stability of the 4G pilot signal levels, i.e. PBCH, is analyzed. Indeed, such a level is involved in the maximum extrapolation techniques which should always warrant worst-case and time-independent estimations of the maximum E field. The effects of the averaging time on raw data is evaluated for quantifying its effect on the possibility of reducing the variability of human exposure assessment based on the use of the extrapolation techniques. Another important issue that is related to exposure safety requirements is the determination of compliance boundaries from RBS transmitting antennas (when put into service), mainly estimated by measurements and calculations (or simulations) for the areas accessible by the general public. In this regard, here are illustrated examples for measurement and simulation approaches for a roof terrace exposure conditions at two different locations in Austria.

Heritable and Climatic Sources of Variation in Juvenile Tree Growth in an Austrian Common Garden Experiment of Central European Norway Spruce Populations

We leveraged publicly available data on juvenile tree height of 299 Central European Norway spruce populations grown in a common garden experiment across 24 diverse trial locations in Austria and weather data from the trial locations and population provenances to parse the heritable and climatic components of juvenile tree height variation. Principal component analysis of geospatial and weather variables demonstrated high interannual variation among trial environments, largely driven by differences in precipitation, and separation of population provenances based on altitude, temperature, and snowfall. Tree height was highly heritable and modeling the covariance between populations and trial environments based on climatic data led to more stable estimation of heritability and population × environment variance. Climatic similarity among population provenances was highly predictive of population × environment estimates for tree height.

Effects of Provenance, Growing Site, and Growth on Quercus robur Wood Anatomy and Density in a 12-Year-Old Provenance Trial.

Vessels are responsible for an efficient and safe water transport in angiosperm xylem. Whereas large vessels efficiently conduct the bulk of water, small vessels might be important under drought stress or after winter when large vessels are embolized. Wood anatomy can adjust to the environment by plastic adaptation, but is also modified by genetic selection, which can be driven by climate or other factors. To distinguish between plastic and genetic components on wood anatomy, we used a Quercus robur trial where trees from ten Central European provenances were planted in three locations in Austria along a rainfall gradient. Because wood anatomy also adjusts to tree size and in ring-porous species, the vessel size depends on the amount of latewood and thereby ring width, we included tree size and ring width in the analysis. We found that the trees’ provenance had a significant effect on average vessel area (VA), theoretical specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks), and the vessel fraction (VF), but correlations with annual rainfall of provenances were at best weak. The trial site had a strong effect on growth (ring width, RW), which increased from the driest to the wettest site and wood density (WD), which increased from wet to dry sites. Significant site x provenance interactions were seen only for WD. Surprisingly, the drier site had higher VA, higher VF, and higher Ks. This, however, is mainly a result of greater RW and thus a greater proportion of latewood in the wetter forest. The average size of vessels > 70 μm diameter increased with rainfall. We argue that Ks, which is measured per cross-sectional area, is not an ideal parameter to compare the capacity of ring-porous trees to supply leaves with water. Small vessels (<70 μm) on average contributed only 1.4% to Ks, and we found no evidence that their number or size was adaptive to aridity. RW and tree size had strong effect on all vessel parameters, likely via the greater proportion of latewood in wide rings. This should be accounted for when searching for wood anatomical adaptations to the environment.

First Nationwide Monitoring Program for the Detection of Potentially Invasive Mosquito Species in Austria.

Simple SummaryIn the last years several alien mosquito species have been introduced into Austria. Those species pose a threat, as they—especially the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)—can transmit many pathogens. The aim of this study is a nationwide overview on the situation of alien mosquitoes in Austria. Using traps representing ideal breeding sites for those mosquitoes, we collected, counted and identified the species of the mosquito eggs laid in the traps. The Asian tiger mosquito was found at two sites, once in Tyrol, where this species has been reported before, and for the first time in the province of Lower Austria. The Asian bush mosquito (Aedes japonicus) was widespread and abundant in Austria. Although it was found in all provinces, the Asian bush mosquito was more often found in the South than the North and more eggs were collected in urban/industrial/transport areas than in (mostly) natural areas. Further, more eggs from the Asian bush mosquito were found in samples collected at higher daily mean temperatures, and fewer eggs in samples collected at higher daily maximum wind speeds. The results of this study will help to better understand the risk from alien mosquitoes to human health in Austria and will be useful to show future changes in the distribution of those species.In Austria, only fragmented information on the occurrence of alien and potentially invasive mosquito species exists. The aim of this study is a nationwide overview on the situation of those mosquitoes in Austria. Using a nationwide uniform protocol for the first time, mosquito eggs were sampled with ovitraps at 45 locations in Austria at weekly intervals from May to October 2020. The sampled eggs were counted and the species were identified by genetic analysis. The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus was found at two sites, once in Tyrol, where this species has been reported before, and for the first time in the province of Lower Austria, at a motorway rest stop. The Asian bush mosquito Aedes japonicus was widespread in Austria. It was found in all provinces and was the most abundant species in the ovitraps by far. Aedes japonicus was more abundant in the South than in the North and more eggs were found in habitats with artificial surfaces than in (semi-) natural areas. Further, the number of Ae. japonicus eggs increased with higher ambient temperature and decreased with higher wind speed. The results of this study will contribute to a better estimation of the risk of mosquito-borne disease in Austria and will be a useful baseline for a future documentation of changes in the distribution of those species.

PANOVA-3: A phase 3 study of tumor treating fields (TTFields) with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GnP) for front-line treatment of locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

TPS629 Background: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are a non-invasive, loco-regional antimitotic therapy approved for the treatment of glioblastoma and malignant pleural mesothelioma. TTFields (150–200 kHz) are delivered via arrays placed on the skin surrounding the tumor site. In vitro, TTFields (150 kHz), with or without chemotherapy, had antiproliferative and anticlonogenic effects on pancreatic cancer cells. The Phase 2 PANOVA study (NCT01971281) demonstrated the safety and preliminary efficacy of TTFields combined with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine (GnP) in both metastatic and locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LAPC). Methods: The Phase 3 PANOVA-3 trial (NCT03377491) will evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding TTFields to GnP in a larger group of patients with LAPC. This prospective, randomized trial is currently enrolling 556 patients with unresectable LAPC (per National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, and no prior progression or treatment. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to receive TTFields plus GnP or to GnP alone, stratified by performance status and geographical region. A recent protocol amendment included the use of a smaller, more light-weight (reduced from 6 to 2.7 lbs.) TTFields device. Standard doses of nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m2) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2) will be administered on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. TTFields (150 kHz) will be delivered ≥ 18 h/day until local disease progression per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria V1.1. Follow-up visits will be conducted every 4 weeks; a computed tomography scan of the chest and abdomen will be performed every 8 weeks. After local disease progression, patients will be followed for survival on a monthly basis. The primary endpoint is overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints include progression free survival (PFS), local PFS, objective response rate, 1 year survival rate, pain- and puncture-free survival rate, rate of resectability, quality of life, and toxicity. The sample size calculation used a log-rank test comparing time to event in patients treated with TTFields plus GnP with control patients on gemcitabine alone. PANOVA-3 is designed to detect a hazard ratio of 0.75 in OS. Type I error is set to 0.05 (2-sided) and power to 80%. Study locations in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the US are currently recruiting. Clinical trial information: NCT03377491.

Maps of ticks (Acari: Argasidae, Ixodidae) for Austria and South Tyrol, Italy

A first compilation of georeferenced tick locations in Austria and South Tyrol, Italy, is presented here. This allows the tick fauna to be examined in the various climatic regions of the European Alps. The dataset comprises 424 tick locations of Austria and 48 tick locations of South Tyrol, which were digitized from literature and visualized in the form of geographical maps. The tick fauna of Austria includes two species of Argasidae in the genera Argas and Carios and 15 species of Ixodidae in the genera Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, and Ixodes, altogether 17 tick species. In addition, two species of Ixodidae in the genera Hyalomma (each spring imported by migratory birds) and Rhipicephalus (occasionally imported by dogs returning from abroad with their owners) are included in the tick atlas. Of these, the georeferenced locations of 18 tick species are depicted in maps. The occurrence of the one remaining tick species, Ixodes inopinatus, is given at the level of the federal states. The first Austrian distribution map of the long-legged bat tick Ixodes vespertilionis, which was reported from 21 caves, deserves special mention. The most common and widespread tick species is Ixodes ricinus, with records in all nine federal states of Austria, followed by Ixodes canisuga, Ixodes hexagonus, and I. vespertilionis in six federal states each. Haemaphysalis concinna and Dermacentor reticulatus are only endemic in the eastern plains, while Dermacentor marginatus only occurs in the west, in the Tyrolean Alpine valleys. Eight tick species were reported from South Tyrol, Italy. There, the most frequently flagged tick from the vegetation is also I. ricinus, while D. marginatus and Haemaphysalis punctata are often collected from sheep. The locations are shown together with those from North and East Tyrol on a separate Tyrol map. The tick atlas in Austria and South Tyrol as well as the underlying digital dataset in the supplement contribute to the closing of data gaps in global distribution maps of ticks and improve the data basis for new species distribution models.

In-situ performance evaluation of historic box-type windows with vacuum glazing

Climate protection objectives and energy efficiency targets imply stricter performance expectations from both new and retrofit building projects. Given the related important role of the building envelope, there is a need for a holistic approach to the design, construction, as well as laboratory and field testing of buildings’ window and wall systems. In this context, the present contribution reports on recent efforts regarding the thermal retrofit of box-type windows. In the course of an actual research project, vacuum insulated glass (VIG) elements were integrated with ten existing box-type windows at six locations in Austria. To facilitate empirical testing and evaluation of these windows, a detailed concept for a continuous in-situ performance monitoring concept was designed and implemented together with the required monitoring infrastructure. This infrastructure involves the deployment of regular state-of-the-art IoT (Internet of Things) technology and enables the continuous monitoring of the salient performance indicators (including temperature, relative humidity, and heat flow). The derived values of performance indicators (such as the fRsi-value) can facilitate, among other things, the assessment of water vapor surface condensation risk. Collected data since mid-2020 cover both hot and cold weather periods have been analysed to capture performance differences between alternative vacuum glass settings at the testing locations. The alternative implementations pertain to different positions of the glazing layer (inside versus outside), different opening directions of the casements, and different positions of box-type within the opaque wall. Moreover, for comparison purposes, monitoring equipment was integrated into a comparable regular box-type window (with float glass or insulation glass) at each of the demonstration sites. Occurrences of potential visible or functional defects (including surface condensation) have been documented as well. The paper presents, analyses, and discusses the preliminary findings of this effort in detail.

Evidence of Fungal Spreading by the Grey Silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudatum) in Austrian Museums

Abstract The grey silverfish Ctenolepisma longicaudatum is a new and serious pest spreading rapidly across Europe. Compared to the silverfish Lepisma saccharinum, it does not depend on relative humidity above 70% and thrives also in new museum buildings, modern storage depositories, apartments, and office buildings. Especially collections of graphic art, modern art on paper, photographs, but also archives and libraries are increasingly affected by this pest. Damage of paper objects has been reported by different authors and institutions across Europe. As these animals live in inaccessible cracks and crevices inside the buildings, we investigated the spread of microorganisms on living grey silverfish, to show a potential additional threat posed by this pest. In 8 locations in Austria living animals were collected with traps and placed for 10 min on agar plates which were incubated for 2 weeks. After incubation of 50 agar plates, between 2 and 20 colonies of fungi were growing on each plate. The most dominant fungal genera were Cladosporium (Cladosporium cladosporioides clade) and Penicillium (Penicillium glabrum, Penicillium decumbens); also, species of the genera Aspergillus, Alternaria, Botrytis, Bartalinia, Byssochlamis, Chaetomium and Mycothypha were found. The diversity of fungi reflects the common fungal community of museums and archives. The spores and mycelial fragments of the fungi are obviously travelling on the legs and bodies of the silverfish.

Partitioning of heavy metals in different particle-size fractions of soils from former mining and smelting locations in Austria

Austrian soils from mainly historical mining and smelting sites were separated into four particle size fractions (coarse sand, fine sand, silt and clay) to distinguish the possible origins and pathways of heavy metals. Each fraction was extracted with aqua regia to determine the pseudo-total content and with CaCl2 to determine the available content of metals. The soil mineralogical composition of the < 2000 µm fraction was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). In general, the concentration of heavy metals and metalloids increased as soil particle size decreased. Based on the correlations of concentrations vs. the log of the mean particle size, obtained from each fraction the presence of unweathered allochthonous minerals were especially present in samples from locations at Rabenstein for most trace elements, at Arzwaldgraben for Cd, Co, Mn and Pb, at Johnsbach for Cd, Co, Mn, Pb and Zn and at Pilgersdorf for Cr. The opposite trend was found for the samples of the industrial area of Arnoldstein, Zeltweg and Hinterlobming suggesting that their metal load was derived from the discharge of effluents or from weathered phases.

Changes in oral health-related quality of life among Austrian preschool children following dental treatment under general anaesthesia

ObjectivesTo analyse possible changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) before and after dental treatment under dental general anaesthesia (DGA) among Austrian preschool children.MethodsA consecutive sample of 89 parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, suffering from early childhood caries (ECC) and scheduled for DGA, were recruited from two locations in Austria (Vienna and Salzburg). Parents self-completed the German version of the ECOHIS before (baseline) and 4 weeks (T4) after their child’s dental treatment. The ECOHIS consists of 13 questions and is divided into two main parts, namely, the child impact section (9 items) and the family impact section (4 items).ResultsA total of 80 children (89%) completed a sufficient number ECOHIS questions at baseline and the follow-up assessment after 4 weeks. “Pain in the teeth, mouth, and jaws” and “difficulty eating some foods” from the child section and parents’ ratings of “feeling upset” and “guilty” were the most frequently reported impacts at baseline. The ECOHIS total score decreased significantly from a mean of 14.60 to 9.89 (p < 0.001) after DGA treatment, revealing a large effect size for the child (0.8) section, family (0.6) section, and the total score (0.8). Parents rated their child’s overall and oral health significantly higher after the DGA treatment (p < 0.001).ConclusionsSignificant improvements in oral health-related quality of life were observed 4 weeks after DGA in children suffering from ECC.Clinical relevanceECC has an impact on OHRQoL. Rehabilitation under general anaesthesia makes a sustainable improvement.