Luminescent Labels—More than Just an Alternative to Radioisotopes?

Chemical, chromatographic, or spectrometric methods are generally unsuitable for the detection of molecules in the nano and subnanogram region because of their low sensitivity. The radioimmunoassay (RIA) developed by Yalow and Berson in 1959 combined the high sensitivity of radioactively labeled substances with the high specificity of immunological reactions for the first time. In this way it was possible to detect quantitatively the tiniest traces of substances in the presence of an excess of other, in some cases, similar foreign substances without prior enrichment. Immunoassays have certainly developed to become the most valuable analytical tool of in vitro diagnostics and are today routinely employed for the detection of endogenous and exogenous substances (e.g. hormones, tumor-associated proteins, bacteria, viruses, toxins, drugs, etc). The many disadvantages of radioactivity such as the required handling licenses, disposal costs, precautions necessary to prevent risks to health, short shelf-life, and limited sensitivity soon led to the search for other nonradioactive labeling methods. Encouraged by the development of light measuring techniques and the commercial availability of highly sensitive apparatus, radioactive isotopes as labels are today being replaced increasingly by enzymes, fluorophores, or luminophores. Some of the new luminescent labels have, however, not only facilitated replacement of radioisotopes, but also a breakthrough into what has until now been unattainable levels of sensitivity. The following article reviews the methods of luminescent labeling and their applications mainly in the area of immunoassays.     

A procedure for clean deposition of100Pd on surfaces

For a program of surface and interface experiments with the PAC isotope¹⁰⁰Pd, a procedure has been developed to chemically separate¹⁰⁰Pd from irradiated rhodium and deposit it on surfaces by evaporation under UHV conditions. First results have been obtained for¹⁰⁰Pd on an Ni(111) surface.     

Aerodynamics of ski jumping: experiments and CFD simulations

The aerodynamic behaviour of a model ski jumper is investigated experimentally at full-scale Reynolds numbers and computationally applying a standard RANS code. In particular we focus on the influence of different postures on aerodynamic forces in a wide range of angles of attack. The experimental results proved to be in good agreement with full-scale measurements with athletes in much larger wind tunnels, and form a reliable basis for further predictions of the effects of position changes on the performance. The comparison of CFD results with the experiments shows poor agreement, but enables a clear outline of simulation potentials and limits when accurate predictions of effects from small variations are required.     

Rigidity in holomorphic and quasiregular dynamics

We consider rigidity phenomena for holomorphic functions and then more generally for uniformly quasiregular maps.

     

Properties of matrix-assisted laser desorption. Measurements with a time-to-digital converter.

Some properties of matrix-assisted laser desorption have been studied using single-ion-counting methods and a time-to-digital converter. The methods allow examination of the process for irradiances near the reported threshold for observation with a transient recorder. All measurements were made using bovine insulin as a test compound. We present direct evidence that an irradiance threshold near 10(6) W cm-2 exists for ion production, and that the process is a collective effect, either involving a large number of molecular ions (approximately 10(4) in a successful event or none at all. Above the threshold, the yield is found to scale with a high power (4th to 6th) of the irradiance. Measurements of initial velocity distributions indicate an axial velocity spread corresponding to approximately 50 eV and a radial velocity spread corresponding to approximately 2.4 eV. Thus the ejection or extraction mechanism appears to be strongly asymmetric.     

Functions: a modelling tool in mathematics and science

It is difficult for the students to transfer concepts, ideas and procedures learned in mathematics to a new and unanticipated situation in science. An alternative to this traditional transfer method stresses the importance of modelling activities in an interdisciplinary context between mathematics and science. In the paper we introduce a modelling approach to the concept of function in upper secondary school is introduced. We discuss pedagogical and didactical issues concerning the interplay between mathematics and science. The discussion is crystallized into a didactical model for interdisciplinary instruction in mathematics and science. The model is considered as an iterative movement with two phases: (1) the horizontal linking of the subjects: Situations from science are embedded in contexts which are mathematized by the students, (2) the vertical structuring in the subjects: The conceptual anchoring of the students' constructs from the horizontal linking in the systematic and framework of mathematics and science respectively.