Abstract: A system for interacting with a remote object comprising a wearable jacket for a user, two actuators for supporting arms of the user, motors for causing movements to at least one of a torso and the arms of the user, and sensors for measuring at least one of a force applied to the user and a position of the user, and a controller and data transmission device for communicating with the remote object.

Abstract: A method for a structural characterization of polysaccharides, comprising steps of characterizing a polysaccharide by physical measurements comprising a determination of a mass of the polysaccharide by means of mass spectrometry, a further determination of a rotationally averaged cross section of the polysaccharide by means of ion mobility spectrometry, and an infrared spectrum of the polysaccharide by means of cryogenic, messenger-tagging IR spectroscopy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bicistronic expression vector for silencing a gene specifically in astrocytes and neurons, comprising two expression cassettes comprising a first and a second silencer sequence, respectively, wherein the expression of said first silencer sequence within astrocytes is regulated by an astrocyte-specific promoter and the expression of said second silencer sequence within neurons is regulated by a neuron-specific promoter. In a preferred embodiment, said first and second silencer sequences are SOD1 silencer sequences. Pharmaceutical composition comprising said bicistronic vector and the use of the same in the treatment of motoneuron diseases are further described.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrical conductor includes: depositing a solid metal conductive layer or film on a substrate 30; depositing a liquid metal on the solid layer; and allowing the liquid metal and the solid layer 40 to alloy by diffusion of the liquid metal into the solid layer or film so as to form a solid conductive layer or film of the alloy; as well as allowing the liquid metal to further infiltrate the alloy so as to form percolating paths and/or droplets of the liquid metal in the the solid conductive layer or film, thus forming a biphasic conductive layer.

Abstract: A method including the steps of exposing a substrate to focused laser irradiation at a preselected series of locations that trace a subset of the substrate volume that is connected to the surface of the substrate, removing the substrate material from the exposed preselected series of locations to create within the substrate at least one cavity that is connected to the surface of the substrate, immersing the cavity-containing substrate in an appropriate atmosphere such as a selected gas or vacuum and, within this atmosphere, contacting the substrate surface with the molten castable material surface at locations where the cavity or cavities emerges from the substrate, applying pressure to the castable material to cause it to infiltrate the substrate cavities, and solidifying the castable material within the cavities.

Abstract: Glycotargeting therapeutics are useful in the treatment of transplant rejection, autoimmune disease, food allergy, and immune response against a therapeutic agent.

Abstract: Nanoparticles and method for producing uniform silicate-based nanoparticles are disclosed. The method comprises a step of injecting into tubular branched elements comprising static mixers a first aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble silicate compound and a second aqueous solution comprising a water-soluble compound releasing cationic species in solution, and allowing the reaction between the first and the second aqueous solutions in a micro-mixing regime, the method being characterized in that the overall mixing time is kept below 10?5 s. A further step of allowing the solution obtained in the micro-mixing regime to mix in a macromixing regime. Nanoparticles obtained through the present method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A charge sensing device for sensing charge variations in a charge storage area includes: a TFET having at least one sense gate; and a capacitive coupling for coupling the charge storage area with the sense gate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact lens for use in the treatment of ocular inflammatory pathologies. The contact lens comprises a soft porous material coupled, in certain embodiments, with detoxifying agents. Said material and/or agents contact and neutralize inflammatory mediators present in the tear fluid of ocular pathologies patients. The nature and architecture of the soft porous material allows a greater contact area between the material itself and/or detoxifying agents with inflammatory mediators, in view of the reversible compression of the soft material that allows greater lachrymal fluid turnover and fluid exchange within the contact lens upon e.g. blinking.

Abstract: An osmotic power generator comprising an active membrane supported in a housing, at least a first chamber portion disposed on a first side of the active membrane for receiving a first electrolyte liquid and a second chamber portion disposed on a second side of the active membrane for receiving a second electrolyte liquid, a generator circuit comprising at least a first electrode electrically coupled to said first chamber, and at least a second electrode electrically coupled to said second chamber, the first and second electrodes configured to be connected together through a generator load receiving electrical power generated by a difference in potential and an ionic current between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: Peptides that specifically bind erythrocytes are described. These are provided as peptidic ligands having sequences that specifically bind, or as antibodies or fragments thereof that provide specific binding, to erythrocytes. The peptides may be prepared as molecular fusions with therapeutic agents, tolerizing antigens, or targeting peptides. Immunotolerance may be created by use of the fusions and choice of an antigen on a substance for which tolerance is desired.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a coating comprising at least one coating layer on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of a. providing monomers of the type R—(N)x-(L)m-(C?C)n-(L?)o-(N?)y—R?, wherein R is a head moiety, R? is a tail moiety, (C?C)n is an oligoyne moiety, L and L? are linker moieties, N and N? independently are branched or unbranched optionally substituted C1-C25 alkyl moieties optionally containing 1 to 5 heteroatoms, x, m, o, and y are independently 0 or 1, n is 4 to 12, and wherein the head moiety allows for an interaction with the surface of the substrate; b. bringing the monomers into contact with the substrate wherein the interaction of the head moieties of the monomers with the surface of the substrate induces at least a part of the monomers to align in a defined manner thereby forming a film on the surface and bringing the oligoyne moieties of the monomers into close contact with each other; c.

Abstract: A biosensor includes a source element; a drain element; a semiconductor channel element between the source element and the drain element for forming an electrically conductive channel with adjustable conductivity between the source and drain elements; a first gate element configured to be electrically biased to set a given operational regime of the sensor with given electrical conductivity of the channel; and a second gate element, physically separate from the first gate element, configured to contact a solution comprising analytes allowed to interact with a gate contact surface of the second gate element to generate a surface potential change dependent on the concentration of the analytes in the solution. The channel element is substantially fully depleted allowing the first and second gate elements to be electrostatically coupled such that the surface potential change at the second gate element is configured to modify the electrical conductivity of the channel.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for an artificial neural network to confirm the recognition of handwritten characters produced by a user. The method comprising: training the artificial neural network with a training data set comprising a first set of characters; collecting handwritten characters of a second set of characters produced by the user; and analysing the collected characters of the second set of characters by using the artificial neural network to obtain a first set of probability values comprising character specific probability values for the collected characters, each character specific probability value indicating the probability that the collected character has been correctly interpreted. The analysis considers at least the manner how the collected characters are handwritten and the appearance of the collected characters to obtain the character specific probability values. The invention also relates to a corresponding data processing apparatus.

Abstract: A medical fluid drainage system which may be advantageously used to actively absorb excess fluid from an interstitium in a living host and to transport it from an inlet member 1 in a non edematous body part out of an outlet member 4 via pumps (5, 6, 7) built in series, such as a distal area with functional lymphatic vessels, or directly in a lymphatic vessel, or directly in a blood vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymeric structures, in the form of flat membrane-like surfaces or micro- nanostruc-tures such as capsules, characterized in that it comprises a substantially two-dimensional layer of covalently-bonded monomers of R-substituted metal or metalloid oxides. Said polymeric structures in most embodiments have a crystal architecture with a hexagonal lattice, but the nature of the covalent bonds present therein impart a bending flexibility that make the polymeric structures behave as a “soft” crystal. Methods of producing such structures, composition comprising thereof and method of using thereof are also included within the present disclosure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to functionalized hydrogel networks grafted with at least one moiety for use in numerous fields, from cosmetics to surgery and medicine.

Abstract: Various blends of polymers are disclosed, comprising oligopeptide functionalised polymers such as polyisobutylene and polystyrene. Mono-functionalised and di-functionalised polymers (each containing 0 to 5 peptide units beyond its terminal amide group) may be blended with each other and/or with non-functionalised polymers to produce blended compositions. Such compositions are of use, for example, in vibrations dampers. Certain blends also exhibit self-healing properties.

Abstract: A method for marking a product (1) with a photoluminescent mark, said mark comprising a photoluminescent portion (10) which is transparent under normal light conditions and revealed by photoluminescence under UV illumination, said mark further comprising a non photoluminescent portion (9) which is transparent under normal light conditions as well as under UV illumination, said method comprising: deposing on said product a stack, said stack comprising alternatively layers (2, 4), such as AlN, with a thickness of less than 1 micron and layers (3) of a second material, such as GaN, with a thickness of less than 10 nm; raising the transparency of said non photoluminescent portion (10) with a deposition of transparent material (6) or incorporation of ions into said non photoluminescent portions.

Abstract: Method of designing a refractive surface, comprising providing a refractive object having a refractive surface with an initial geometry, determining a refraction of incident illumination through the refractive surface with the initial geometry to create a source irradiance ES distribution on a receiver; and determining a shape of the refractive surface of the refractive object such that a resulting irradiance distribution on the receiver matches a desired target irradiance ET provided by a user.