Abstract: A pyruvate carboxylase gene having SEQ ID NO:1 as well as an amino acid sequence having SEQ ID NO:2 expressed by the pyruvate carboxylate gene are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for microbial production of amino acids of the aspartate and/or glutamate family in which the pyruvate carboxylase activity is increased by genetically changing the pyruvate carboxylase gene having SEQ ID NO:1 through expression of a microorganism which produces the corresponding amino acid having SEQ ID NO:2.

Abstract: A device for decoupling and/or desynchronizing neural, pathologically synchronous brain activity, in which, the activities in a partial region of a brain area or a functionally associated brain area are stimulated by means of an electrode, resulting in decoupling and desynchronizing the affected neuron population from the pathological area and suppression of the symptoms in a patient. In an alternative embodiment of the device, the pathologically synchronous brain activity due to the disease is desynchronized which also leads to the symptoms being suppressed. The device has a stimulation electrode and at least one sensor which are driven by a control system in such a manner that they produce decoupling and/or desynchronization in their local environment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a high-temperature resistant seal, particularly a seal for use in a high-temperature fuel cell. The inventive seal comprises a structured metallic layer having at least one area on whose surface a filler is placed. The filler is comprised, in particular, of clay minerals or ceramic materials. The seal thus advantageously combines the sealing properties of a metallic layer, for example, of an undulated metal foil with the elastic properties of the filler. The seal is particularly suited for use at high temperatures and thus, for example, in high-temperature fuel cells.

Abstract: The invention relates to a detector for determining the position and/or energy of photons and/or charged particles. Said detector comprises a plurality of diodes made of a semi-conductor material, n-contacts (1) and p-contacts (4), the n-contacts being provided by dividing an n-layer into individual segments. Said segments of the n-layer are 20–500 ?m wide. Said detectors are produced by diffusing ions on the side of the semi-conductor material in order to produce an n-contact. A metallic layer is metallized thereon. Trenches are etched between the segments by means of lithography for the segmentation thereof. The inventive detector is high-powered and inter alia enables a high local resolution and high counting rates.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cathode material, particularly for use in a high-temperature fuel cell, comprising substoichiometric Ln1-x-yMyFe1-zCzO3-?, with 0.02?×x?0.05, 0.1?y?0.6, 0.1?z?0.3, 0???0.25 and with Ln=lanthanides, M=strontium or calcium and C=cobalt or copper. By using a particular production method, in which this cathode material having a specified grain size is used, and in which a (Ce, Gd)O2-?-intermediate layer is advantageously formed between the cathode and electrolyte, a cathode is obtained that, when used in a high-temperature fuel cell, can achieve a power greater than 1 W/cm2 already at 750° C. and a cell voltage of 0.7 V.

Abstract: An object is examined by detecting properties of the object at different times within a space formed by spatial frequencies. This is done such that temporally consecutive recordings are made in overlapping regions of the spatial frequency space and also in regions of the spatial frequency space that differ from one another.

Abstract: A device for treating patients by brain stimulation and related electronic component and use of the device and of the electronic component in a medical treatment method. To achieve the brain stimulation result, a device includes at least one electrode for stimulating a brain region, at least one sensor for measuring an electrical signal, a control system which can detect the occurrence of a pathological feature of the electrical signal which was measured by the sensor and, when the pathological feature occurs, delivers at least one component from a group of stimulus sequences (a) through (d): (a) a short high-frequency pulse train, (b) a resetting short high-frequency pulse train followed by a further desynchronizing short high-frequency pulse train, (c) a resetting low-frequency sequence of a high-frequency pulse train followed by a desynchronizing high-frequency pulse train, or (d) a resetting single pulse followed by a short desynchronizing high-frequency pulse train to the electrode.

Abstract: In low-temperature fuel cells according to prior art, the problem often arises that the diffusion layer of the cathode is filled by water which is permeated or produced on the cathode, such that oxygen can no longer be transported to the catalyst layer of the cathode in a frictionless manner. As a result, said fuel cells are regularly used with a high excess of oxygen in order to reduce the cited transport problems for the oxygen. The inventive fuel cell enables said problem to be solved in that the arrangement of the diffusion layer and the catalyst layer of the cathode is inverted. The diffusion layer, which is embodied in such a way as to also conduct ions, is directly adjacent to the electrolyte membrane. The catalyst layer oriented towards the free cathode space can advantageously directly react with the supplied oxygen without further transport problems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic flow sensor (1, 21, 51) comprising a) a loop-shaped magnetic field conductor comprising a point (2, 22, 32, 52) which expands to form a bar or a film (3, 23, 52), a loop-shaped part (3a, 23a, 53a) and at least one part (4, 24, 54?, 54?) which guides back the magnetic field lines of the probe, b) SQUID (7, 27, 57), c) and a diaphragm (5, 25, 35, 55) comprising a hole (6, 26, 36, 56), whereby the part (4, 24, 54?, 54?) which guides the magnetic field lines of the probe back to the loop-shaped magnetic field conductor is connected to the diaphragm (5, 25, 35, 55).

Abstract: The invention relates to a sample cell with a glass body comprising a gas inlet and a gas outlet and at least one orifice, a plane glass window is fused into the orifice, the shape and size of the window corresponds to the shape and size of the orifice, the orifice is limited by a rim, the rim is wider than the thickness of the window, the rim of the window is fused with the rim of the orifice. The invention further relates to a method of producing the sample cell. The window is inserted into the orifice. The rim of the orifice is heated several times from the exterior in such a way that the glass melts and a fused joint is formed between the window and the rim of the orifice. The sample cell produced by the method has a particularly rigid joint between the window and the glass body. Therefore, this glass cell is able to withstand pressures above 10 bar and allows the passage of light without lens effects owing to its plane-parallel windows. The sample cell is used in a polarizer for inert gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic bearing element having at least one annular permanent magnet (2, 3) that is surrounded by an annular binding band (5), which element is characterized in that the permanent magnet (2, 3) is divided at least one location (4) and spaced apart there.

Abstract: A method for assigning a pulse profile, in particular a pulse profile of a scintillation detector having at least two scintillation materials with different decay characteristics, to one of a plurality of pulse types with differing decay times, encompasses the method steps of: acquiring an output pulse profile and converting the pulse profile into an electrical signal whose amplitude-time profile represents the pulse profile of the output pulse; transforming the amplitude-time profile into the frequency space in order to obtain an amplitude-frequency profile representing the output pulse; normalizing the amplitude-frequency profile in order to obtain a normalized amplitude-frequency profile; comparing the normalized amplitude-frequency profile with a predetermined reference profile; and assigning the output pulse profile to one of the pulse types on the basis of the result of the comparison.

Abstract: A tomography device, particularly for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), comprises a multi-pinhole collimator and a detector for detecting gamma quanta or photons that penetrate the multi-pinhole collimator. In a tomographic method using the device, the distance between the object and the multi-pinhole collimator is selected to be smaller than the distance between the multi-pinhole collimator and the surface of the detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flow cell, a method for separating carrier-free radionuclides from a liquid or liquefiable target material, and the radiochemical reaction thereof. According to prior art, flow cells are known which require reaction volumes corresponding to the volume of the target material in order to carry out the desired reactions. The inventive flow cell (1) and method enable the reaction volume, and thus the quantity of starting material, to be reduced by a multiple by reducing the cylinder volume (=reaction volume). As the radioactively marked product is present in very small quantities (picomole to nanomole), the HPL-chromatographic separation of the non-reacted starting material is significantly improved. The economic efficiency of the method is increased due to the fact that small quantities of starting material can be used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of an electrode for use at high temperatures, in which an electrode green compact is formed from a ceramic slip. The slip is formed from at least one solid electrolyte material as well as a metal oxide powder. The green compact is dried and sintered. A porous hard granular material of solid electrolyte material is used in the slip, the mean diameter of the metal oxide powder grains not exceeding or not substantially exceeding the mean diameter of the pores of the hard granular material. An electrode having a temperature-stable conductivity is obtained according to the invention. The area of use of the electrode is typically in high-temperature fuel cells.

Abstract: In a direct-methanol fuel cell stack with an at least partial circulation (7, 9) of the fuel, according to the invention a means is arranged in this circulation for reducing the concentration of an undesired byproduct. This means is comprised especially of a further electrochemical cell (8) to which electric current is applied and which at least partly transforms the byproducts by an electrochemical reduction reaction again to methanol and water. Since the concentration of byproducts is small, the loss in electric current required for the additional reduction reaction has no noticeable effect on the efficiency of the fuel cell stack.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of modeling mass transfer and/or heat transport processes in an apparatus, especially in an apparatus comprising at least two fluid spaces like, for example, a high-temperature fuel-cell stack. The invention relates, further, to a computer system for carrying out the method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for electrically contacting electrodes in high-temperature fuel cells. The inventive device is characterized by an interconnector plate with openings and contact elements, which are located therein and which are provided for electrically contacting electrodes. The contact elements protrude from both sides of the interconnector plate at a predetermined height, and the openings are sealed in a gas-tight manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for depositing compounds on a substrate by means of metalorganic chemical vapor deposition and a first mixture comprising at least one carrier gas and at least one organometallic compound as well as a second mixture comprising at least one carrier gas and at least one group V compound or group VI compound, both mixtures being separately fed into an MOCVD system. According to the invention, the first mixture comprising at least one carrier gas and at least one organometallic compound is directed into the system between the substrate and the second mixture comprising at least one carrier gas and at least one group V compound or group VI compound, which has the advantageous effect of creating no parasitic deposits on the walls of the MOCVD system. Hence, the deposition rates are increased compared with methods known in prior art.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing highly porous, metallic molded bodies. The inventive method consists of the following steps: a metallic powder used as a starting material is mixed with a dummy; a green body is pressed out of the mixture; the green body is subjected to conventional mechanical machining, the dummy advantageously increasing the stability of the green body; the dummy material is thermally separated from the green body by means of air, a vacuum or an inert gas; and the green body is sintered to form the molded body and is then advantageously finished. Suitable materials for the dummy are, for example, ammonium bicarbonate or carbamide. The mechanical machining carried out before the sintering advantageously enables a simple production close to the desired final contours, even for complicated geometries of the molded body to be produced, without impairing the porosity, and without high wear of the tools.