Further Technical Development

The trend towards miniaturization continues. The original reed switch is getting continually smaller and therefore can be integrated at minimal space. Its magnetic sensitivity has been improved and stabilized. New materials allow the use of even smaller magnets without reducing the distance between reed switch and magnet. 

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Cathodic protection of reinforcing steel with impressed current is a relatively new protection method. It was used experimentally at the end of the 1950s [21,22] for renovating steel-reinforced concrete structures damaged by corrosion, but not pursued further because of a lack of suitable anode materials so that driving voltages of 15 to 200 V had to be applied. Also, from previous experience [23-26], loss of adhesion between the steel and concrete due to cathodic alkalinity [see Eqs. (2-17) and (2-19)] was feared, which discouraged further technical development. 

There are many alternative in vivo mammalian and non-mammalian and in vitro test assays. But at present no alternative test can totally replace the existing reproductive toxicity tests using live mammalian animals (ECETOC 1989). In many instances, however, the alternative methods can be used to screen test compounds of known or unknown efficacy for further technical development or further testing. 

Further technical developments will enhance the power of the methodology. 

We will briefly introduce examples of applications of microfluidic devices which enable rapid analysis of small volumes of dynamic samples with mass spectrometric detection. Please note that some of the discussed approaches are covered by the broad definition of time-resolved mass spectrometry (TRMS) (cf. Section 1.3), while others lay the foundations for possible TRMS measurements following further technical developments. 

In conclusion, the future for gene electrotransfer for clinical use is bright. Based on many clinical trials in human and veterinary medicine that showed positive results and safety of the approaches, especially two fields, prophylactic vaccination for infectious disease and curative vaccination combined with standard treatments for cancer will benefit in the future. Further technical developments of electrodes and generators of electric pulses on one hand and further optimization of plasmids DNA regarding the controlled expression and safety on the other hand will bring gene electrotransfer into wider use. 

The mentioned review has highlighted the teehnique of high pressure photoemission or ambient pressure photoelectron spectroscopy. -Although the technique is still in its infancy and further technical developments are necessary to overcome present problems such as in the case of insulating materials, it has already been shown that it can have a substantial impact in areas of enviromnental and atmospheric chemistry [210], but it promises to be partieularly useful in the field of catalysis for analysis of surface species, reactants and products during the reaction conditions. [209-212]. 

Computed tomographic angiography (Fig. 22.1) and magnetic resonance angiography (Fig. 22.2) both provide excellent images of the aorta and main renal arteries in children. Limitations of spatial resolution make it difficult to exclude stenosis of branch and accessory arteries, however, and further technical developments are required to overcome this problem. One possibility is that MR perfusion techniques may allow the indirect identification of RVD by identifying delayed perfusion of one kidney or a segment of kidney. 

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