Abstract: A sample support plate (100) for a variety of possible applications, including MALDI mass spectrometry, is disclosed. A plurality of spatially separated sample recipient sites (101) are arranged on the surface of a substrate. The recipient sites are mutually separated by areas having a different wettability than the recipient sites. They are arranged in a plurality of rows consisting of a plurality of recipient sites whose centers are regularly spaced along a first direction with a predetermined periodicity (D1), the rows being regularly spaced along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with a predetermined centerline distance (D2). Each recipient site has a maximum lateral dimension that is preferably smaller than the diameter of a beam spot (104) of a desorption laser beam (103).

Abstract: Disclosed is a biocompatible block copolymer containing the polycondensation product of a diol and an additional component selected from the group of the same diol, an ?,?-dihydroxy-polyester or an ?,?-dihydroxy-polyether. Also disclosed are a medical implant containing the block copolymer, the use of said block copolymer for the production of a medical implant, a diol and a method for the production thereof. The diol may be obtained by transesterification of ?,?-dihydroxy-[(oligo(3-(R)-hydroxybutyrate)-ethylene-oligo-(3-(R)-hydroxybutyrate)] with diglycolide. Transesterification is carried out, preferably, in the presence of a catalyst.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a display layer and an image separation layer. The image separation layer is adapted to separate a displayed image on the display layer into a first image for a left eye of an observer and into a second image for a right eye of an observer. This renders the image display apparatus autostereoscopic. In order to improve the appearance of the displayed image, the apparatus is adapted to activate the display layer and the image separation layer substantially only within a given two-dimensional silhouette and to remain substantially transparent outside of the silhouette. In other aspects, the apparatus may be adapted to dynamically adjust an observation angle between the first image and the second image by controlling the distance between the display layer and the image separation layer by an actuator. The apparatus may be mounted on a robotic unit.

Abstract: Methods of using mass spectrometry and in particular matrix assisted laser desorption-ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry to analyze, or otherwise detect the presence of or determine the identity of intact ions of undigested, unfragmented covalently stabilized supramolecular target-ligand-complexes, as well as the use of these methods in various biological application such as characterization of antibodies, drug discovery, and complexomics including automated or higher throughput applications.

Abstract: Bioactive molecules are entrapped within a matrix for the controlled delivery of these compounds for therapeutic healing applications. The matrix may be formed of natural or synthetic compounds. The primary method of entrapment of the bioactive molecule is through precipitation of the bioactive molecule during gelation of the matrix, either in vitro or in vivo. The bioactive molecule may be modified to reduce its effective solubility in the matrix to retain it more effectively within the matrix, such as through the deglycosylation of members within the cystine knot growth factor superfamily and particularly within the TGF? superfamily. The matrix may be modified to include sites with binding affinity for different bioactive molecules, for example, for heparin binding.

Abstract: A method to control a robot device that includes at least one manipulator which is moveable in an operating space, at least one actuator which actuates the manipulator, a sensor arrangement having at least one position sensor to determine the actual position of the manipulator and a controller which controls the actuator. The manipulator moves along an actual trajectory by means of an external force provided by an operator. The actuator provides compensation forces onto the manipulator influencing the torques or forces exchanged between operator and manipulator. The controller includes a conservative force field module having a conservative force field. The controller provides control signals for the actuator which provides the compensation force based on the control signals. The control signals are based on the conservative force field and on the actual position of the manipulator.

Abstract: A gas permeable membrane for the optical measurement of the partial pressure and/or the concentration of a gas species, the membrane comprises a porous light-transmissible membrane matrix containing a metal oxide, wherein the membrane matrix is at least partially charged with at least one gas-selective compound whose optical characteristics change upon an interaction with a corresponding gas species.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for determining the state, state changes, and/or condition changes of a potted plant and for indicating the determined state of said object to the owner or user thereof, wherein the system and method locally determine at least one physical and/or chemical parameter on top of on the side of or in the immediate vicinity of the plant (1) to be monitored by means of preferably several sensors or sensing elements (3). Said physical and/or chemical parameter is processed into a coded digital parameter signal and transmitted wirelessly, optionally by means of intermediate stages, to a central processor, which determines a statement about the state of the plant (1) from said coded digital parameter signal and other digital as an optical and/or acoustic indication of the current or prognosticated state of the plant/object (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to antibodies with sub-nanomolar affinity specific for a characteristic epitope of the ED-B domain of fibronectin, a marker of angiogenesis. Furthermore, it relates to the use of radiolabelled high affinity anti ED-B antibodies for detecting new-forming blood vessels in vivo and a diagnostic kit comprising said antibody. Furthermore, it relates to conjugates comprising said antibodies and a suitable photoactive molecules (e.g. an appropriately chosen photosensitizer or radionuclide), and their use for the selective light-mediated occlusion of new blood vessels.

Abstract: A method of producing a rigid catalytically active porous ceramic is disclosed. Catalyst particles comprising a catalytically active material or a precursor thereof are mixed with a chemical additive, a ceramic binder, a carrier liquid and, optionally, substantially inert carrier particles to obtain a slurry having a gel-or paste-like consistency. The slurry may be transported to a substrate, e.g., by printing, or to a reactor cavity by a suitable flow method. The slurry is then heated to substantially evaporate said carrier liquid to obtain a rigid, catalytically active porous ceramic in situ. A catalyst obtainable by such a method and the use of such a catalyst are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are dies having a first section for orienting material being pressed through the die and a second section for shaping the oriented material into a desired form. In an embodiment, the surface area for shaping the oriented material into a desired form is limited. Also provided are polymer articles and processes for making the same. In an embodiment, the processes employ the dies.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the determination of an MRM or SRM assay for a protein of interest, a peptide of interest, or a group of proteins/peptides of interest or a whole proteome. It essentially includes the following steps: (1) a list of proteins of interest is selected and for each member at least one or a list of candidate proteotypic peptides is derived (2) this at least one peptide is synthesized/generated essentially without subsequent purification; (3) this at least one unpurified peptide is analyzed by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) preferably coupled to liquid chromatography (LC-SRM) or analogous techniques; (4) validation and/or optimisation of the corresponding assay of the at least one peptide with determination of the SRM coordinates for a peptide/protein of interest and/or of a regulator of interest is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides polymer gel-processing techniques and polymer articles of high modulus.

Abstract: Unique labels for security or identification purposes, methods of making the labels and uses for the labels are described herein. The label is formed from one or more crystalline materials, optionally in combination with a non-crystalline material, or from a combination of polymers, and has a unique, detectable pattern. In one embodiment, the label is formed from a crystalline material, preferably a metallic material, which naturally contains a unique grain structure, with unique reflective properties. In a preferred embodiment, the label is formed of a metallic material that has been recrystallized to enlarge the size of the grains so that they are visible to the unaided human eye.

Abstract: Disclosed is a biocompatible block copolymer containing the polycondensation product of a diol and an additional component selected from the group of the same diol, an ?,?-dihydroxy-polyester or an ?,?-dihydroxy-polyether. Also disclosed are a medical implant containing the block copolymer, the use of said block copolymer for the production of a medical implant, a diol and a method for the production thereof. The diol may be obtained by transesterification of ?,?-dihydroxy-[(oligo(3-(R)-hydroxybutyrate)-ethylene-oligo-(3-(R)-hydroxybutyrate)] with diglycolide. Transesterification is carried out, preferably, in the presence of a catalyst.

Abstract: The invention concerns a mixture of bacteria. Said mixture is a non starter culture which is free from metabolites and comprises at least one first bacterium selected from the species <i>Propionibacterium jensenii</i> and at least one second bacterium selected from the genus <i>Lactobacillus</i>. Furthermore, food, feeding stuff and medicaments comprising such a mixture, a method for manufacturing and storing such goods and the use of the mixture to inhibit fungi and bacteria are provided.

Abstract: A process for continuous or quasi-continuous purification of a multi-component mixture (F) by means of individual chromatographic columns through which the mixture is fed by means of at least one solvent(s). The multi-component mixture (F) at least comprises light impurities (A), an intermediate product (B) to be purified and heavy impurities (C), and the columns are grouped into at least four sections (?,?,?,?). After or within a switch time (t*) the last column from the first section (?) is moved to the first position of the second section (?), the last column of the second section (?) is moved to the first position of the third section (?), the last column of the third section (?) is moved to the first position of the fourth section (?) and the last column of the fourth section (?) is moved to become the first column of the first section (?).

Abstract: Described is a method for the production of metal salts, wherein the cationic metal is preferably selected from Group I to IV metals and mixtures thereof and the anionic group is selected from phosphates, silicates, sulfates, carbonates, hydroxides, fluorides and mixtures thereof, and wherein said method comprises forming a mixture of at least one metal source that is a metal carboxylate with a mean carbon value per carboxylate group of at least 3 and at least one anion source into droplets and oxiding said droplets in a high temperature environment, preferably a flame. This method is especially suited for the production of calcium phosphate biomaterials such as hydroxyapatite (HAp,Cal0(P04)6(OH)2) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP,Ca3(P04)2) that exhibit excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity and therefore are widely used for reparation of bony or periodontal defects, coating of metallic implants and bone space fillers.

Abstract: A simple and reproducible preparative method for the fabrication of surface-chemical gradients is described herein. Surface-chemical gradient films are prepared by using a liquid front in relative motion to the substrate (e.g. immersion by a linear-motion drive or the use of a spreading droplet) to gradually expose substrate samples to very dilute solutions of adsorbates. As demonstrated by XPS, the self-assembled monolayer gradients produced in this way display a high packing density. This method can be used in the preparation of other gradients of various chemical or biochemical functionalities in one or two dimensions. Such gradients can be used in a wide variety of applications in such diverse areas as cell motility studies, nanotribology research, and high-throughput screening.

Abstract: For retrieving information based on images, a first image is taken (S1) using a digital camera associated with a communication terminal (1). Query data related to the first image is transmitted (S3) via a communication network (2) to a remote recognition server (3). In the remote recognition server (3) a reference image is identified (S4) based on the query data. Subsequently, in the remote recognition server (3), a Homography is computed (S5) based on the reference image and the query data, the Homography mapping the reference image to the first image. Moreover, in the remote recognition server (3), a second image is selected (S6) and a projection image is computed (S7) of the second image using the Homography. By replacing a part of the first image with at least a part of the projection image, an augmented image is generated (S8, S10) and displayed (S11) at the communication terminal (1).