Abstract: For spatial high resolution imaging of a structure of a sample, the structure comprising a luminophore, the sample, in a measurement area, is subjected to an intensity distribution of luminescence inhibiting light comprising a local minimum. Then, the sample, in the measurement area, is subjected to luminescence excitation light which excites the luminophore out of an electronic ground state into a luminescent state, and luminescence light emitted out of the measurement area is registered. This registered luminescence light is assigned to the position of the local minimum within the sample. The luminescence inhibiting light disturbs the electronic ground state of the luminophore such that the luminophore, in the disturbed electronic ground state, has an absorption cross-section for the luminescence excitation light which is reduced by at least 50% as compared to the undisturbed electronic ground state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) having a bicyclic aza-amides scaffold, pharmaceutically acceptable salts of these compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one of these compounds together with pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, excipient and/or diluents. Said bicyclic aza-amides compounds can be used for prophylaxis and/or treatment of psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, disorders and conditions.

Abstract: Two-dimensional nanomaterials are produced in a process comprising the steps of (a) providing (a1) a mixture comprising graphene oxide particles, water and at least one cationic surfactant and/or nonionic surfactant or (a2) a mixture comprising graphene particles, at least one solvent useful for solution exfoliation of graphite and at least one cationic surfactant and/or nonionic surfactant, (b) adding at least one sol precursor compound to the mixture from step (a), (c) reacting the mixture from step (b) in a sol/gel process to form gel from the at least one sol precursor compound on the graphene oxide particles or, respectively, the graphene particles, (d) removing the at least one surfactant, and (e) optionally heating the gel-coated graphene oxide particles for at least 1 min to at least 500° C. under inert gas atmosphere to reduce the graphene oxide to graphene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for predicting a treatment response to a corticotropin releasing hormone receptor type 1 (CRHR1) antagonist and/or a vasopressin receptor 1B (V1B) antagonist in a patient with depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. The present invention furthermore relates to a V1B receptor antagonist and/or CRHR1 antagonist for use in the treatment of depressive symptoms and/or anxiety symptoms in a patient. Also, kits, diagnostic compositions, devices and microarrays allowing the determination of the presence or absence of at least one polymorphic variant in the AVPR1B gene in combination with the presence or absence of at least one polymorphic variant in the patient's genome excluding the AVPR1B gene in the nucleic acid sample are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a substrate surface structured with thermally stable metal alloy nanoparticles, which method comprises—providing a micellar solution of amphiphilic molecules such as organic diblock or multiblock copolymers in a suitable solvent; —loading the micelles of said micellar solution with metal ions of a first metal salt; —loading the micelles of said micellar solution with metal ions of at least one second metal salt; —depositing the metal ion-loaded micellar solution onto a substrate surface to form a (polymer) film comprising an ordered array of (polymer) domains; co-reducing the metal ions contained in the deposited domains of the (polymer) film by means of a plasma treatment to form an ordered array of nanoparticles consisting of an alloy of the metals used for loading the micelles on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A corrosion inhibiting pigment includes nanoscale reservoirs (nanoreservoirs) of corrosion inhibitor for active corrosion protection of metallic products and structures, wherein the nanoreservoirs include a polymer or polyelectrolyte shell which is sensitive to a specific trigger and capable of releasing the inhibitor after action of the trigger. An anti-corrosive coating with self-healing properties includes the pigment, methods for preparing the pigment, in particular by layer-by-layer deposition, as well as methods of use of the pigment.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a diagnostic assay for the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. The present invention provides an improved diagnostic assay for the diagnosis of an autoimmune disease, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). In particular the invention pertains to a method of determining in a sample of a subject the presence of two or more antibodies comprising the step of determining whether an antibody is present in a sample that specifically recognizes a hnRNP-DL polypeptide or a fragment thereof or a splice variant thereof and the further step of determining whether at least one further antibody is present in the sample that specifically recognizes a at least one other hnRNP polypeptide which is not sequence homologue to said hnRNP-DL polypeptide or fragments thereof or splice variants thereof, and/or said CCP peptide and/or a polypeptide comprising at least the Fc-part of IgG, respectively.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of oleyl phosphocholine and oleyl-phospho-(N.N.-dimethyl-N-ethyl)-ethyl-ammonium for the long-term and continuous treatment of serious illnesses, such as cancer, leishmaniasis, ehrlichiosis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis, in addition to other indications mentioned in the application.

Abstract: The invention relates to a recombinant Mycobacterium cell for use as a vaccine.

Abstract: A laser device (100), configured for generating laser pulses, has a laser resonator (10) with a gain disk medium (11) and a Kerr medium (12). The laser resonator (10) includes a first mode shaping section (13) which is adapted for shaping a circulating electric field coupled into the gain disk medium (11), and a second mode shaping section (14), which is adapted for shaping the circulating electric field coupled into the Kerr medium (12) independently of the electric field shaping in the first mode shaping section (13). Furthermore, a method of generating laser pulses (1) using a laser resonator (10) with a gain disk medium (11) and a Kerr medium (12) is described.

Abstract: Described are synthetic promoters capable of mediating gene expression in plants upon pathogen infection. Furthermore, recombinant genes and vectors comprising said chimeric promoters as well as host cells transformed with such chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, or vectors are provided. Additionally, diagnostic compositions and kits comprising such chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, vectors or cells are described. Provided are further methods for the identification of compounds being capable of activating or inhibiting genes that are specifically expressed in plants upon pathogen infection employing the above described means. Furthermore, transgenic plant cells, plant tissue, and plants containing the above-described chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, and vectors as well as the use of the aforementioned chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, vectors and/or compounds identified by the method of the invention in plant cell and tissue culture, plant breeding, and/or agriculture are described.

Abstract: Described are synthetic promoters capable of mediating gene expression in plants upon pathogen infection. Furthermore, recombinant genes and vectors comprising said chimeric promoters as well as host cells transformed with such chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, or vectors are provided. Additionally, diagnostic compositions and kits comprising such chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, vectors or cells are described. Provided are further methods for the identification of compounds being capable of activating or inhibiting genes that are specifically expressed in plants upon pathogen infection employing the above described means. Furthermore, transgenic plant cells, plant tissue, and plants containing the above-described chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, and vectors as well as the use of the aforementioned chimeric promoters, recombinant genes, vectors and/or compounds identified by the method of the invention in plant cell and tissue culture, plant breeding, and/or agriculture are described.

Abstract: A method of producing an alkaline single ion conductor with high conductivity includes: a) providing a hydrocarbon oligomer or polymer having immobilized acidic substituent groups selected from the group consisting of a sulfonic acid group, sulfamide group, a phosphonic acid group, or a carboxy group, in its alkaline ion form wherein at least a part of the acidic protons of the substituent groups have been exchanged against alkali cations, and b) solvating the hydrocarbon oligomer or polymer of step a) in an aprotic polar solvent for a sufficient time to effect a solvent uptake of at least 5% by weight and to obtain a solvated product, wherein the molar ratio of solvent/alkaline cation is 1:1 to 10,000:1, and which solvated product has a conductivity of at least 10?5 S/cm at room temperature (24° C.).

Abstract: For the purpose of tracking a movement of a particle in a sample, the particle is driven by light to emit photons, and the photons emitted by the particle are detected. The light applied to the sample features a light intensity distribution with a spatially limited minimum. The particle is tracked with the minimum of the light intensity distribution by moving the light intensity distribution with respect to the sample such that a rate of photons emitted by the particle remains minimal, and by taking an actual position of the minimum of the light intensity distribution in the sample as an actual position of the particle in the sample.

Abstract: The present invention concerns the field of cancer therapy. In particular, it relates to an antagonist of a B-type plexin which prevents the interaction of the B-type plexin with ErbB-2 for use as a medicament, in particular, for treating metastasizing cancer. The present invention also contemplates a method for identifying an antagonist which prevents the interaction of a B-type plexin with ErbB-2. Finally, the invention provides for a polynucleotide encoding a B-type plexin polypeptide which lacks a functional intracellular domain and the said polypeptide.

Abstract: A microwave resonator device (1), being configured in particular for electron spin resonance measurements, comprises a resonator being resonant with first and second microwave field modes and including first and second resonance sections (7, 8) arranged along a longitudinal axis (2) of the resonator, and a coupling unit being arranged between the first and second resonance sections, wherein the coupling unit includes a conducting plate (16) being arranged on the longitudinal axis (2) and covering a central portion of a cross-sectional area of the resonator, the conducting plate (16) is adapted to adjust a first mode frequency of the first microwave field mode, and the conducting plate (16) is arranged at a field minimum of the second microwave field mode. Furthermore, a method of conducting an electron spin resonance measurement with a sample to be investigated is described.

Abstract: An optical modulator device (100), in particular for a spatio-temporally light modulated imaging system (200), comprises a light modulating micro-mirror device (110) comprising an array of mirror elements (111) arranged in a modulator plane (112), wherein each of the mirror elements (111) can be switched individually between first (111a) and second (111b) states with first and second tilting angles, resp., relative to a modulator optical axis (113) perpendicular to the modulator plane (112), and a first optical relaying device (120) being arranged for relaying light between the mirror elements (111) in the first (111a) state and a first optical axis (121) deviating from the modulator optical axis (113), wherein the first optical relaying device (120) includes a first group of imaging elements (122, 123, 124) being formed such that a planar light field (114) perpendicular to the modulator optical axis (113) is relayed to a first planar light field (125) perpendicular to the first optical axis (121).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mutant human alpha-synuclein with increased toxicity compared to wild-type alpha-synuclein, or a homologue thereof, wherein the mutant alpha-synuclein or homologue thereof comprises at least one amino acid substitution selected from the group consisting of a substitution at the alanine at position 56 (A56), at the alanine at position 76 (A76), at the methionine at position 127 (M127) and/or at the valine at position 118 (V118), as defined in the claims. Further, the invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the mutant alpha-synuclein or homologue thereof, or an expression vector comprising said polynucleotide, a cell comprising the polynucleotide or expression vector, as defined in the claims. Also, a non-human animal comprising the cell of the invention is provided, as defined in the claims. Finally, the invention provides methods for identifying a substance that prevents or reduces toxicity of alpha-synuclein, as defined in the claims.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mutant human alpha-synuclein with increased toxicity compared to wild-type alpha-synuclein, or a homologue thereof, wherein the mutant alpha-synuclein or homologue thereof comprises at least one amino acid substitution selected from the group consisting of a substitution at the alanine at position 56 (A56), at the alanine at position 76 (A76), at the methionine at position 127 (M127) and/or at the valine at position 118 (V118), as defined in the claims. Further, the invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding the mutant alpha-synuclein or homologue thereof, or an expression vector comprising said polynucleotide, a cell comprising the polynucleotide or expression vector, as defined in the claims. Also, a non-human animal comprising the cell of the invention is provided, as defined in the claims. Finally, the invention provides methods for identifying a substance that prevents or reduces toxicity of alpha-synuclein, as defined in the claims.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a compound of formula I: in dye-sensitized solar cells. It also relates to a compound of formula I?: to a compound of formula I?: to the use of a compound of formula II: as a precursor compound for manufacturing the compound of formula I when q is 0 or 1 and as a precursor compound for manufacturing the compound of formula I? when q is 1; to a compound of formula III: to the use of the compounds of formulae I, I? or I? as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells; and to such dye-sensitized solar cells.