Abstract: The present invention relates to zinc amide bases of the general formula (I) (R1R2N)2—Zn.aMgX12.bLiX2??(I) wherein R1 and R2 are each independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or silyl derivatives thereof, and substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl, and wherein R1 and R2 can form together a ring structure, or R1 and/or R2 can be part of a polymer structure; X12 is a divalent anion or two monovalent anions that are independent from each other; X2 is a monovalent anion; a is >0; and b is >0. The zinc amide bases can be used, amongst other things, for deprotonation and metallization of aromatics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of identifying a target antigen of T cells comprising (a) contacting (aa) cells expressing (i) a functional T cell receptor complex comprising predefined matching T cell receptor ? and ? chains; and (ii) a read-out system for T cell activation; with (ab) antigen-presenting cells carrying (iii) peptide libraries encoded by randomised nucleic acid sequences; and (iv) MHC molecules recognised by the T cell receptor of (i); (b) assessing T cell activation using said read-out system; (c) isolating antigen-presenting cells that are in contact with the cells in which the read-out system indicates T cell activation; (d) identifying the target antigen or the nucleic acid molecule encoding said target antigen.

Abstract: A method is described for producing a radionuclide product B. A target is provided which includes an amount of a nuclide A. A gamma (?) beam from Compton back-scattering of laser light from an electron beam irradiates the target and thereby transmutes at least a portion of the amount of the nuclide A into the product B. Providing the target includes selecting a nuclide A which is transmutable into product B by a gamma (?) induced nuclear reaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to uses and methods of parathyroid hormone (PTH), preferably PTH (1-34), and/or parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), preferably PTHrP (1-34), for recruiting stem cells into tissue suffering from ischemia, wherein said stem cells are preferably capable of repairing and/or regenerating said tissue suffering from ischemia. Also provided is the use of a combination of G-CSF or a G-CSF fragment and a DPP IV inhibitor/antagonist in the medical intervention of an ischemic disorder. Accordingly, the uses and methods of the present invention are preferably suitable for the prevention and/or treatment of ischemia. Moreover, the present invention relates to a composition comprising parathyroid hormone (PTH), preferably PTH (1-34), and/or parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), preferably PTHrP (1-34), and/or G-CSF or a G-CSF fragment for use as a pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a bioreactor (12) for creating and/or conditioning biological tissues and in particular artificial heart valves, vascular grafts and/or cardiovascular patches. The bioreactor (12) comprises a bioreactor housing (30, 32) having a first section (42) and a second section (54), said first section (42) being adapted to receive a nutrition solution, and said second section (54) being adapted to receive said biological tissue, and means (38; 56, 58, 66, 76, 84) for generating and directing a flow of said nutrition solution from said first section (42) to said second section (54) along a first flow path such as to flow along or through at least a portion of said biological tissue, and for directing a back flow of said nutrition solution from said second section (54) to said first section (42) along a second flow path. The flow directing means (56, 58, 66, 76, 84) and said second flow path are contained in said bioreactor housing (30, 32).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for a fast thermo-optical characterization of particles. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and a device to measure the stability of (bio)molecules, the interaction of molecules, in particular biomolecules, with, e.g. further (bio)molecules, particularly modified (bio)molecules, particles, beads, and/or the determination of the length/size (e.g. hydrodynamic radius) of individual (bio)molecules, particles, beads and/or the determination of length/size (e.g. hydrodynamic radius).

Abstract: A Fabry-Pérot tuneable filter device is described with reflecting elements separated by an optical path length to form an optical resonator cavity. A first actuator means is directly or indirectly coupled with a first reflecting element. And the first actuator means is configured to modulate the optical path length between first and second reflecting elements by a modulation amplitude to thereby sweep the optical resonator cavity through a band of optical resonance frequencies with a sweep frequency of 70 kHz or more. And the mechanical coupling between selected elements of the arrangement is sufficiently low such that when operated at the sweep frequency, the selected elements act as a system of coupled oscillating elements. In addition or alternatively, the first actuator means is directly or indirectly coupled with the first reflecting element so as to substantially drive the first reflecting element only.

Abstract: Methods and device are disclosed for data retrieval. At first images and reports are analyzed by respective parser units to detect both structures and text passages that are related to respective structures and text passages of a knowledge database. The detected structures and text passages are stored together with a unique resource located that identifies the respective structure and/or text passage at the knowledge database in a semantic annotation database. In addition a feature extraction can be performed to provide specific features of the images and/or regions of the images, whereby the features are stored in an image feature database. Finally an input query can ask questions that are used to provide a result to the query based on the semantic annotation database and the image feature database. The methods and devices may be used for data preparation and data retrieval of medical images and associated medical reports.

Abstract: A bone wedge is provided for fixing tissue to bone. The bone wedge comprises an elongate body with a proximal end a distal end and a longitudinal axis (A) which extends between said proximal end and said distal end. The elongate body comprises at least two opposed sidewall portions between the proximal and distal ends, wherein the bone wedge is configured to be inserted into a wedge shaped cavity in the bone, said wedge shaped cavity having a smaller diameter at its portion proximal to the bone surface than at its distal portion, and wherein said two opposed sidewall portions are configured to clamp the tissue against the inner walls of said cavity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for automated exploitation of cells from a sample, comprising a plurality of dispensing containers (2) for the separated storage of fluid media, each dispensing container comprising an outlet (21) wherein a media delivery arrangement (3) is associated to each of the dispensing containers (2) and a first valve (22) is connected to each of the outlets (21), a plurality of collecting containers (4) for the collection of fluid media, each collecting container (4) comprising an inlet (41) wherein a second valve (42) is connected to the inlet (41) of each collecting container, and a mounting device (5) for mounting the sample, the mounting device comprising an inlet (51) being connected to the first valve (22), and an outlet (52), wherein the outlet (52) of the mounting device is connected to the second valve (42). Further, the present invention enables a method for automated cell exploitation from a sample by the use of the apparatus (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to uses and methods of parathyroid hormone (PTH), preferably PTH (1-34), and/or parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), preferably PTHrP (1-34), for recruiting stem cells into tissue suffering from ischemia, wherein said stem cells are preferably capable of repairing and/or regenerating said tissue suffering from ischemia. Accordingly, the uses and methods of the present invention are preferably suitable for the prevention and/or treatment of ischemia. Moreover, the present invention relates to a composition comprising parathyroid hormone (PTH), preferably PTH (1-34), and/or parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP), preferably PTHrP (1-34), and/or G-CSF or a G-CSF fragment for use as a pharmaceutical composition. In a particular aspect, a DPP IV antagonist is applied in the uses, methods and/or compositions of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide specifically binding to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), said nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or an amino acid sequence deviating from SEQ ID NO: 2 by conservative substitution of one or more amino acids in position 1 to 28, 38 to 52, 63 to 98 and 115 to 123 of SEQ ID NO: 2. The present invention also relates to a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of the invention, a host cell comprising the nucleic acid molecule of or the vector of the invention and a method of detecting the amount and/or location of PCNA in living cells, a method of screening for compounds having an effect on the cell cycle.

Abstract: The present application relates to mixed Mg/Li amides of the general formula R1R2N—Mg(NR3R4)mX,.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation, in particular the selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, such as the selective hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene, using a hydrogenation catalyst comprising an ordered intermetallic compound, namely an ordered cobalt-aluminum or iron-aluminum intermetallic compound. According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a catalyst comprising a support and at least one specific ordered cobalt-aluminum and/or iron-aluminum intermetallic compound supported thereon, as well as to the use of specific ordered intermetallic cobalt-aluminum and iron-aluminum intermetallic compounds as catalysts. The ordered cobalt-aluminum and iron-aluminum intermetallic compounds proved to be highly selective and long-term stable catalysts, e.g. in the selective hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene in a large excess of ethylene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method which makes it possible to simulate a realistic, reliable, and repeatable measurement of the mobility of a tooth and use the test results as a basis for producing and adjusting tooth prostheses. A goal is achieved by an apparatus for simulating the mobility of a tooth, comprising a bottom and a top bearing shell which are designed such that a substantially spherical zone is left open. The top bearing shell has a substantially circular cavity, through which a model of a tooth stump can be inserted. One end of the model of a tooth stump has a substantially spherical bearing zone while the other end thereof forms an elongate shank.

Abstract: A method for sensing a microwave magnetic field polarization component of a microwave field generated by a microwave device, comprises the steps of generating a static magnetic field having a predetermined amplitude and a predetermined direction relative to the microwave magnetic field polarization component to be sensed, preparing an atom cloud of ultracold probe atoms in defined hyperfine levels, wherein the hyperfine levels of the probe atoms are split in transition frequencies by the static magnetic field, applying a microwave pulse including the microwave magnetic field polarization component to be sensed to the atom cloud, wherein a spatial state distribution of the probe atoms is created by Rabi oscillations during the microwave pulse between the hyperfine levels of the probe atoms being resonant with the microwave magnetic field polarization component, and collecting a state image of the probe atoms, said state image depending on the spatial state distribution of the probe atoms and representing the m

Abstract: The present invention enables the computation of various types of information for a particular scanned and OCR recognised or retyped historical input document. It provides a global view on the “patterns” for historical language variation (text profiling) and the OCR errors most frequently found in the text (error profiling). For each of the individual tokens of the OCR output, an interpretation is given which based on the document specific information attempts to describe both, the underlying correct word of the text and the corresponding modern spelling of the word. This not only provides input for optimised OCR recognition of historical documents, but also for quality assurance and improved information retrieval.

Abstract: A method of amplifying one or more target nucleic acid sequence(s) in a PCR buffer solution comprising one or more target nucleic acid sequence(s), a nucleic acid polymerase, deoxynucleotide or nucleotide triphosphates, at least a first primer and a second primer is provided. The PCR buffer solution is contained in an elongated vessel. The solution within the vessel is locally heated in a spatio-temporally varying manner. Fluid flows circulating within the vessel are established. At least a fraction of the PCR buffer solution cyclically travels between regions having different temperatures, giving rise to a temperature cycling.

Abstract: A method is described for determining the fatty acid composition of phosphoglycerides. In said method, methanol is added to a sample containing phosphoglycerides, the combination is mixed, precipitated material is separated from the methanol phase, an alkali alkoxide is added to the methanol phase as a base in order to catalyze a transesterification process, and the produced methyl esters are extracted from the solution obtained following the transesterification process and are gas-chromatographically separated. A test kit that is suitable for carrying out said method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for assaying Jmjd6 activity.