Critical review of real-time methods for solid waste characterisation: Informing material recovery and fuel production.

Waste management processes generally represent a significant loss of material, energy and economic resources, so legislation and financial incentives are being implemented to improve the recovery of these valuable resources whilst reducing contamination levels. Material recovery and waste derived fuels are potentially valuable options being pursued by industry, using mechanical and biological processes incorporating sensor and sorting technologies developed and optimised for recycling plants. In its current state, waste management presents similarities to other industries that could improve their efficiencies using process analytical technology tools. Existing sensor technologies could be used to measure critical waste characteristics, providing data required by existing legislation, potentially aiding waste treatment processes and assisting stakeholders in decision making. Optical technologies offer the most flexible solution to gather real-time information applicable to each of the waste mechanical and biological treatment processes used by industry. In particular, combinations of optical sensors in the visible and the near-infrared range from 800nm to 2500nm of the spectrum, and different mathematical techniques, are able to provide material information and fuel properties with typical performance levels between 80% and 90%. These sensors not only could be used to aid waste processes, but to provide most waste quality indicators required by existing legislation, whilst offering better tools to the stakeholders.

First Report of Wheat Leaf Rust in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Progress of its Appearance over the 2003-2008 Period.

Wheat leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks. was identified for the first time in 2000 in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on the basis of orange-to-brown, round-to-ovoid, erumpent uredinia (1 to 1.5 mm in diameter) scattered on the upper and lower leaf surfaces and producing orange-brown urediniospores that are subgloboid, approximately 20 µm in diameter, and with up to eight germ pore scattered in thick, echinulate walls. In a second phase, wheat was monitored weekly (starting from Zadoks growth stage 30, pseudo stem erection) during the 2003-2008 cropping seasons for wheat leaf rust. Disease severity (percentage of leaf area with symptoms) was recorded in four, replicated field experiments located in three villages (Diekirch District: Reuler; and Grevenmacher District: Burmerange and Christnach), which are representative of the different agroclimatological zones of Luxembourg. A significant difference in severity was observed between the sites (P < 0.01) and the years (P < 0.05). Over the 6-year period, Burmerange and Reuler consistently showed the highest and lowest disease severity, respectively. In 2003 and 2007, Burmerange (a southern site with the highest average spring temperatures of 13.6 and 14.0°C, respectively) showed the highest disease severity with 66 and 57%, respectively, whereas the lowest severity (<1% for both years) was observed in the north at Reuler (site with the lowest average spring temperatures of 12.0 and 12.4°C, respectively). Christnach, located midway between Reuler and Burmerange, showed an intermediate disease severity with 7% (2003) and 22% (2007). The disease appeared at growth stages 77 (late milk) and 87 (hard dough) in the period 2003-2005, but at an earlier stage (45, boots swollen) for 2006-2008 (P < 0.001). In 2005, low severity was recorded due to a severe drought during May, June, and July. A reason for this earlier appearance of leaf rust occurrences in the two districts may be related to an increase in the average spring temperature (average March to May temperature for Luxembourg was 8.3°C for the 1971-2000 period, 9.5°C for the 2003-2005 period, 9.9°C for the 2006-2008 period, 2007 was exceptional with 11.9°C, P < 0.01). In the past, cereal disease management strategies were oriented toward the control of predominant and yield-reducing diseases such as that caused by Septoria tritici Desm. Because the succession of mild winters and warm springs during the last 5 years allowed the early occurrence and the fast development of wheat leaf rust in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, it is advisable to take this disease into account in fungicide application schemes.

First Report of Fusarium Head Blight on Winter Wheat in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Following a comparatively mild winter (1.9°C above average [2000-2007]), Fusarium head blight (FHB) on winter wheat was observed during the 2007 season in 17 sites representing all three districts of Diekirch, Grevenmacher, and Luxembourg. The cultivars encountered were diverse and included Achat, Akteur, Aron, Bussard, Cubus, Enorm, Exclusiv, Flair, Rosario, Tommi, and Urban. The preceding crops were maize (six sites), rapeseed (three sites), and one site each of pea, triticale, winter barley, and winter wheat. Rainfalls recorded during the flowering period (June 1-23, mean June 12 for GS 65) ranged from 13 to 62 (mean 38) mm. An overall prevalence of FHB (percentage of infected spikes) of 8.9 ± 15.5% (mean ± SD) and a severity (percentage of infected grains per spike) of 21.0 ± 17.8% were recorded. A significant difference in FHB severity was observed between the cantons north and south of Luxembourg City, 13.4 ± 13.1% (range 0.01 to 46.4) and 35.1 ± 18.1% (range 6.2 to 61.9), respectively (Man-Whitney, P = 0.027), indicating the importance to take regional specificities such as topoclimatological aspects into account. Maize as a preceding crop resulted in significant higher prevalence of FHB as opposed to the other crops (5.9 ± 1.6% versus 3.3 ± 2.2%, Man-Whitney, P = 0.022).

The clinical evaluation of vein contrast enhancement.

A vein contrast enhancer (VCE) has been constructed to make vein access easier by capturing an infrared image of veins, enhancing the contrast using software, and projecting the vein image back onto the skin. The VCE also uses software to align the projected image with the vein to 0.06 mm. Clinical evaluation of earlier monitor-based vein enhancement test systems has demonstrated the clinical utility of the infrared imaging technology used in the VCE.