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Personalized cancer care requires molecular characterization of neoplasms. While the research community accepts frozen tissues as the gold standard analyte for molecular assays, the source of tissue for testing in clinical cancer care comes almost universally from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE). As newer technologies emerge for DNA characterization that requires higher molecular weight DNA, it was necessary to compare the quality of DNA in terms of DNA length between FFPE and cryopreserved samples. We hypothesized that cryopreserved samples would yield higher quantity and superior quality DNA compared to FFPE samples. We analyzed DNA metrics by performing a head-to-head comparison between FFPE and cryopreserved samples from 38 human tumors representing various cancer types. DNA quantity and purity were measured by UV spectrophotometry, and DNA from cryopreserved tissue demonstrated a 4.2-fold increase in DNA yield per mg of tissue (p-value < 0.001). DNA quality was measured on a fragment microelectrophoresis analyzer, and again, DNA from cryopreserved tissue demonstrated a 223% increase in the DNA quality number and a 9-fold increase in DNA fragments > 40,000 bp (p-value < 0.0001). DNA from the cryopreserved tissues was superior to the DNA from FFPE samples in terms of DNA yield and quality.

Moose (Alces alces) naturally colonized the Parkland Natural Region of Alberta during the 1980s and early 1990s, and later colonized the Grassland Natural Region by the early 2000s. We summarize population data during 1996–2016 for these regions, examining density, population trends, productivity, distribution, management, and moose-human conflicts to determine population status and sustainability. Within the Parkland, aerial surveys from one frequently monitored Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) indicated a significant increase (R2 = 0.7476, P < 0.001) in density, representing an annual rate of change of 1.07. Pooled data from an additional 21 Parkland WMUs indicated a mean annual rate of change of 1.11. Mean density for the 22 Parkland WMUs over the study period was 0.19 ± 0.06 moose/km2, and aerial surveys indicated a mean of 74.4 ± 3.6 calves/100 cows and 51.9 ± 2.9 bulls/100 cows. Within the Grassland, winter aerial survey data from 4 WMUs indicated a mean density of 0.05 ± 0.01 moose/km2, and 72.5 ± 6.75 calves/100 cows and 108.8 ± 34.4 bulls/100 cows. Hunting in these regions has been managed with a limited entry hunt. Resident rifle hunting opportunity for moose in the Parkland and Grassland increased 4.2-fold between 1996 and 2015. Opportunity in this region also represented an increasing proportion of that available province-wide, from 3.4% in 1996 to 19.8% in 2015.