Discussion of an environment quality standard based assessment procedure for permitting discharge.

The 'combined approach' as a requirement of the EC Water Framework Directive pools an emission-based approach with an approach based on environmental quality standards (EQS) to improve European water quality. The implementation of the EQS-based approach poses problems of defining a reference water discharge, defining a distance, where the EQS are obligatory and thus have to be controlled after point discharge, considering incomplete mixing. To elaborate a simple assessment procedure including the aspects mentioned above is the point of discussion in this paper. On the basis of easily available data and references from several European countries, recommendations for an Austrian assessment procedure are presented.     

Evaluation of correspondence errors for stereo

The computation of a scalar correspondence error is the fundamental step in most stereo correspondence algorithms. The quality of the results obtained by the reconstruction algorithm directly depends on the characteristics of such error. We have developed a procedure to evaluate different methods proposed for the computation of the correspondence error. The evaluation is based on exploring the shape of the error surface generated and testing it for uniqueness, isolation and compatibility. The scheme presented makes it possible to recognise the known characteristics of the tested methods for the computation of a correspondence error from the results of the evaluations. Our results show that, for the tested scenes, the evaluation scheme allows us to identify the most appropriate method to compute the correspondence error.     

Seasonal changes in olive fruit characteristics and oil accumulation during ripening process

Olive fruits of three of the most important Spanish and Italian cultivars, ‘Picual’, ‘Hojiblanca’ and ‘Frantoio’, were harvested at bi‐weekly periods during three crop seasons to study their development and ripening process. Fresh and dry weights and ripening index were determined for fruit, while dry matter, oil and moisture contents were determined in both fruit and pulp (flesh). Fruit growth rate and oil accumulation were calculated. Each olive cultivar showed a different ripening pattern, ‘Hojiblanca’ being the last one to maturate. Fruit weight increased, decreasing its growth rate from the middle of November. Dry matter and moisture contents decreased during ripening in pulp and fruit, ‘Hojiblanca’ showing the highest values for both. Oil content, when expressed on a fresh weight basis, increased in all cultivars, although for the last time period showed variations due to climatic conditions. During ripening, oil content on a dry weight basis increased in fruit, but oil biosynthesis in flesh ceased from November. Olive fruits presented lower oil and higher dry matter contents in the year of lowest rainfall. Therefore fruit harvesting should be carried out from the middle of November in order to obtain the highest oil yield and avoid natural fruit drop. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Progesterone crystallization from a solvent: a new procedure

We have grown progesterone single crystals from a gradually heated solution in acetone + ethyl ether. Transparent crystals obtained were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The X-ray and electron diffraction show an orthorhombic structure. Spectroscopy confirms that the crystal is constituted by the same components as the progesterone molecule. Electronic Publication     

Magnetic beads based immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis of total serum IgE with laser-induced fluorescence detection

A magnetic beads based immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis method for total Immunoglobulin E quantification in serum has been developed. The method combines speed, automation ability, and minimal sample consumption. Only 1 microL of serum is required while the whole immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis method is performed in less than 50 min. The concomitant use of online immunocapture, transient isotachophoresis, and laser-induced fluorescence detection provides a sensitivity in the low picomolar range and a highly linear fluorescence response over 4 orders of magnitude (IgE concentration ranging from 2.4 to 2400 ng/mL). After validation with a reference material, the method has been successfully applied to the quantification of total IgEs in patient sera. The results compared well with classical ImmunoCap data.     

DNA transport in hierarchically-structured colloidal-nanoparticle porous-wall nanochannels

We report a simple approach to the formation of 3D colloidal nanoparticle structures incorporating enclosed mesoscopic structures through a simple process of spin-coating-driven directed self-assembly onto lithographically defined polymer templates. Removal of the buried polymer patterns by high temperature calcination results in the formation of hierarchically enclosed channels, continuous networks, isolated cavities, and multilayered structures with high stability and environmental resistance. These channels are used to investigate the transport of DNA molecules in constrained geometries.     

Current rectification by mediating electroactive polymers

In this work we briefly review the theoretical basis for the electrochemical rectification in mediated redox reactions at redox polymer modified electrodes. Electrochemical rectification may have two distinct origins. It is either caused by a slow kinetics of the reaction between the external redox couple and the mediator or it is originated by a slow electronic transport within the film under an unfavorable thermodynamic condition. We show experimental results for the redox mediation reaction of poly(o-aminophenol) (POAP) on the Fe^2+/3+ and on the Fe(CN)₆^3−/4− redox couples in solution that prove the proposed mechanisms of electrochemical rectification.