Abstract: The present invention provides a novel polymorphic form of olopatadine hydrochloride ([(Z)-3-(dimethylamino)propylidene]-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepin-2-acetic acid hydrochloride), a selective histamine H1-receptor antagonist that is used for the treatment of ocular symptoms of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. The present invention also provides novel methods for producing olopatadine on a large scale, and in a manner that is cost effective, provides a low level of impurities and eliminates the need to use the costly and dangerous base, butyllithium, which is used in prior art reactions for making olopatadine. The present invention further provides novel processes for carrying out a large scale production of 3-dimethylaminopropyltriphenylphosphonium bromide and its corresponding hydrobromide salt, which are employed in the production of olopatadine, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of olopatadine.

Abstract: Template-fixed ?-hairpin peptidomimetics of the general formula (I) wherein Z is a template-fixed chain of 12 ?-amino acid residues which, depend on their positions in the chain (counted starting from the N-terminal amino acid) are Gly, or Pro, or of certain types which, as the remaining symbols in the above formula, are defined in the description and the claims, and salts thereof, have the property to selectively inhibit the growth of or to kill microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter. They can be used as disinfectants for foodstuffs, cosmetics, medicaments or other nutrient-containing materials, or as medicaments to treat or prevent infections. In a specific embodiment, the template is based on the D-Pro-L-Pro dipeptides. These ?-hairpin peptidomimetics can be manufactured by processes which are based on a mixed solid—and solution phase synthetic strategy.

Abstract: The invention features polymeric biomaterials formed by nucleophilic addition reactions to conjugated unsaturated groups. These biomaterials may be used for medical treatments.

Abstract: The present invention relates to neurotrypsin and to pharmaceutical and diagnostic compositions which comprise neurotrypsins and to compositions which effect neurotrypsin levels.

Abstract: In one aspect the invention provides a bioreactor system for the production of tissue prostheses. The system includes a bioreactor, a culture medium reservoir coupled to the bioreactor by a first conduit and a second conduit, a pump operable to pump fluid into and draw fluid out of a pumping chamber defined in the bioreactor to generate a pulsatile flow of culture medium through the reservoir and bioreactor via said first and second conduits, one or more flow meters operable to generate flow rate signals representative of the rate of culture medium flow through one or both of said first and second conduits, and a controller arranged to receive said flow rate signals from said one or more flow meters and to control the pump means in response to said received flow rate signals to provide a desired rate of culture medium flow.

Abstract: A magnetic field probe comprises a sample (4) that exhibits magnetic resonance at an operating frequency, an electrically conductive structure (8) surrounding the sample for receiving a magnetic resonance signal therefrom, and a solid jacket (12) encasing the sample and the conductive structure. The jacket is made of a hardened two-component epoxy system containing a paramagnetic dopant dissolved therein, with the concentration of the dopant being chosen such that the jacket has a magnetic susceptibility that is substantially identical to the magnetic susceptibility of the conductive structure.

Abstract: A coil assembly for magnetic resonance imaging comprises a sheet (2) of flexible and stretchable dielectric material and at least one electrically conducting coil (4a, 4b) for receiving and/or emitting a radio frequency signal. The coil is attached to and extends along a face of the flexible sheet. At least part of the coil is made of a ribbon shaped braided conductor (6) that is arranged in substantially flat contact with the face.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of producing transgenic plants including pathogen resistant plants with recombinant nucleic acid molecules comprising promoter regions which provides expression of a desired transgene in epidermis-specific manner, and transgenic plants produced by said methods.

Abstract: A coil assembly for magnetic resonance imaging comprises a sheet (2) of flexible and stretchable dielectric material and at least one electrically conducting coil (4a, 4b) for receiving and/or emitting a radio frequency signal. The coil is attached to and extends along a face of the flexible sheet. At least part of the coil is made of a ribbon shaped braided conductor (6) that is arranged in substantially flat contact with the face.

Abstract: Proteins are incorporated into protein or polysaccharide matrices for use in tissue repair, regeneration and/or remodeling and/or drug delivery. The proteins can be incorporated so that they are released by degradation of the matrix, by enzymatic action and/or diffusion. As demonstrated by the examples, one method is to bind heparin to the matrix by either covalent or non-covalent methods, to form a heparin-matrix. The heparin then non-covalently binds heparin-binding growth factors to the protein matrix. Alternatively, a fusion protein can be constructed which contains a crosslinking region such as a factor XIIIa substrate and the native protein sequence. Incorporation of degradable linkages between the matrix and the bioactive factors can be particularly useful when long-term drug delivery is desired, for example in the case of nerve regeneration, where it is desirable to vary the rate of drug release spatially as a function of regeneration, e.g.

Abstract: Template-fixed ?-hairpin peptidomimetics of the general formula (I), wherein Z is a template-fixed chain of 12 ?-amino acid residues which, depend on their positions in the chain (counted starting from the N-terminal amino acid) are Gly, or Pro, or of certain types which, as the remaining symbols in the above formula, are defined in the description and the claims, and salts thereof, have the property to selectively inhibit the growth of or to kill microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter. They can be used as disinfectants for foodstuff, cosmetics, medicaments or other nutrient-containing materials, or as medicaments or treat or prevent infections. In a specific embodiment, the template is based on the D-Pro-L-Pro dipeptide. These ?-hairpin peptidomimetics can be manufactured by processes which are based on a mixed solid- and solution phase synthetic strategy.

Abstract: A method of forwarding data packets in a communication network includes the following steps: a) generating a stream of data packets at a first subscriber; b) adding to each of the data packets in the stream a recipient individualizing information to form individualized data packets; c) forwarding the individualized data packets to a first repeater node; d) flooding the individualized data packets from the first repeater node to any further subscriber connected to the first repeater node; e) flooding the individualized data packets to any further repeater node connected to the first repeater node; f) flooding the individualized data packets in any further repeater node analogous to the steps d) and e); g) connecting any possible further subscriber of the stream of individualized data packets to a repeater node selected from a group containing the first repeater node and any further repeater nodes and g) enabling only those of the any possible subscribers to access a content of the individualized data packets w

Abstract: The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and methods for the treatment of allergy. The compositions are adapted for epicutaneous administration and comprise an allergen and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. They may be designed as adhesive patches, intradermal delivery devices, ointments, gels, sprays, or similar types of formulation suitable for administration to the skin. Furthermore, the invention provides the use of such compositions in the treatment of allergy. In particular, the compositions are administered to pre-treated skin, wherein the pre-treatment comprises partial or complete dekeratinisation of the epidermis at the selected site of administration.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an in-vivo assay system useful for the identification and testing of modulating agents as well as for the validation of therapies of neurodegenerative diseases associated with the formation of neurofibrillary tangles, in particular Alzheimer's disease. The present invention is based on the surprising finding that injection of ?-amyloid A?42 fibrils into brains of P301L mutant tau transgenic mice caused several-fold increases in the numbers and an accelerated production of neurofibrillary tangles in cell bodies predominantly within the amygdala. The induced neurofibrillary tangles occurred as early as 18 days after A?42 injections and displayed striking features of neurofibrillary tangles of several human neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract: A system for arm therapy of a user comprises a device for determining the position of the user, a first drive, an upper arm rotation module, an upper arm cuff, at least one hinge movably connecting the upper arm cuff and the first drive, a second drive, and a rotation drive provided on the upper arm rotation module itself. The upper arm cuff is connected to the arm of the user and has a substantially hollow-cylindrical shape when it is closed. The first drive and the second drive are adapted to place the upper arm rotation module in a defined spatial position, and the rotation drive is adapted to turn the upper arm cuff about its main axis relative to the outer part of the upper arm rotation module.

Abstract: A device and a method for accurate and remote dispensing of a radioactive liquid are disclosed. A source of a radioactive liquid (1) and a source of a flushing liquid (5) are selectively connected to a fluid delivery path (7, 8, 10) by way of valve means (V1). An activity metering unit (9) is operable to determine a level of radioactivity in a metering section (8) of the fluid delivery path downstream from the valve means (V1). The device is operated by transporting a first amount of radioactive liquid (1) to the metering section (8), using the activity metering unit (9) to measure a reference level of radioactivity, calculating a second amount of the radioactive liquid still to be delivered such that the first and second amounts of radioactive liquid together have some predetermined level of radioactivity, and delivering the first and second amounts of radioactive liquid to the destination (11).

Abstract: Template-fixed ?-hairpin mime tics of the general formula R1-Cys-Z-Cys-R2 (1) wherein the two Cys residues are bridged by a disulfide bond thereby forming a cyclic peptide; R1 and R2 are preferably Glu-Thr and Thr-Lys; or Lys-Thr and Thr-Glu; or Thr-Glu and Lys-Thr, or Thr-Lys and Glu-Thr; or Leu-Glu and Lys-Val; or Val-Lys and Glu-Leu; or Glu-Leu and Val-Lys; or Lys-Leu and Val-Glu; or Asn-Gly and Lys-Val; or Val-Gly and Lys-Asn; or Gly-Asn and Val-Lys; or Gly-Val and Asn-Lys; or Gly-Gly and Gly-Gly; or Glu-Leu-Lys and Glu-Val-Lys; or Lys-Val-Glu and Lys-Leu-Glu; or Leu-Glu-Lys and Glu-Lys-Val; or Val-Lys-Glu and Lys-Glu-Leu; or Glu-Lys-Leu and Val-Glu-Lys; or Lys-Glu-Val and Leu-Lys-Glu; or Lys-Glu-Leu and Val-Lys-Glu; or Glu-Lys-Val and Leu-Glu-Lys; or Lys-Val-Gly and Gly-Leu-Glu; or Glu-Leu-Gly and Gly-Val-Lys; or Val-Lys-Gly and Gly-Glu-Leu; or Leu-Glu-Gly and Gly-Lys-Val; or Val-Gly-Lys and Glu-Gly-Leu; or Leu-Gly-Glu and Lys-Gly-Val; or Gly-Gly-Gly and Gly-Gly-Gly; and Z is a chain of n amino acid resi

Abstract: A device has a source for emitting near infrared radiation into cerebral tissue, a sensor for detecting radiation exiting from the tissue, and an evaluation unit which detects the exiting radiation as an input signal having pulsatile and non-pulsatile components and is programmed to determine the concentration of an injected indicator in the tissue from the non-pulsatile signal component, iteratively determine an inflow function characterizing cerebral blood flow by varying a mean transit time until reaching a stop criterion, determine indicator concentration relative to cerebral blood volume from the inflow function and the pulsatile signal component, calculate cerebral blood volume by dividing indicator concentration in the tissue by indicator concentration relative to cerebral blood volume, calculate cerebral blood flow by dividing the cerebral blood volume by the mean transit time when the stop criterion has been reached, and scale the inflow function using values determined from the pulsatile signal comp

Abstract: The present invention relates to collections of repeat proteins comprising repeat modules which are derived from one or more repeat units of a family of naturally occurring repeat proteins, to collections of nucleic acid molecules encoding said repeat proteins, to methods for the construction and application of such collections and to individual members of such collections.

Abstract: The present invention relates to antigens for vaccination against and detection of Mycoplasma suis (M. suis) and related haemotrophic Mycoplasma species. Furthermore, the present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding such antigens, vectors containing the polynucleotides, host cells comprising the polynucleotides and/or vectors as well as methods for the treatment of infections by and vaccination against M. suis and related pathogens.