Abstract: The invention relates to a system to assist walking in spinal cord injured people, who preserve hip flexion capacity, comprising a pair of KAFO-type orthoses with: (a) an angular actuator (5) in each knee; (b) an orientation and acceleration sensor (6) on each leg; (c) a power supply and control system (7) to which all the sensors and actuators are connected; (d) a control algorithm deciding when to flex or extend the knee depending on the walking cycle, using information from the sensors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the in vitro detection of a latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in a subject, wherein said method comprises determining at least one nucleotide sequence and/or at least one polypeptide of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in a blood cell population of said subject, and wherein the presence of said at least one nucleotide sequence and/or said at least one polypeptide is indicative for said latent tuberculosis infection. In particular, the blood cell population is enriched for hematopoietic stem cells. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for use in the treatment of the LTBI in the subject, wherein it is determined if the nucleotide sequence and/or the polypeptide of Mtb is/are present in the blood cell population. Further, the invention relates to kits for carrying out the methods of the invention. The invention also relates to the use of the kits.

Abstract: The invention pertains to the field of cell therapy and HIV treatments. It provides with highly specific reagents for reducing or inactivating expression of CCR5 in primate and human primary cells, especially under the form of TALE-nucleases. These reagents allow the production of safer primary hematopoietic cells made resistant to HIV, stem cells or differentiated cells, for their infusion into HIV patients.

Abstract: A component has an integrated sensor device for an optical, multi-axis measurement of a force applied to the component. The component includes a cavity and a first support element having one or more first optical elements and a second support element having one or more second optical elements. The first support element and the second support element are formed in the cavity and partially inserted into the component. A transmission device generates at least two beams in independent directions when connected to a power source. The beams pass through the cavity between the first optical elements and the second optical elements. The first optical elements and the second optical elements are adapted to generate information about a relative positional change of the first support element with respect to the second support element based on the at least two beams. The transmission device provides the information for measuring the force application.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to peptidomimetics having antibacterial activity, especially against Gram-negative bacteria. The peptidomimetics of the invention are compounds of the general formula (I), [X3]t—[X2]S—X1—P1—P2—P3—P4—P5—P6—P7—P8—P9—P10—P11—P12—P13—P14—P15—P16 and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as described in the description and in the claims. The invention is also directed to therapeutic uses of the peptidomimetics for the treatment or prevention of bacterial infections and diseases related to bacterial infections and to non-therapeutic uses of the peptidomimetics for preserving or disinfecting foodstuffs, cosmetics, medicaments or other nutrient-containing materials. In addition, the present invention provides an efficient synthetic process by which these compounds can, if desired, be made in parallel library-format. Moreover, the peptidomimetics of the invention show improved antimicrobial activity, low or no hemolysis of red blood cells and reduced cytotoxicity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to monoclonal anti-human-GDF-15 antibodies. The antibodies include chimeric antibodies and humanized antibodies. The invention also relates to monoclonal anti-human-GDF-15 antibodies including murine anti bodies, chimeric antibodies and humanized antibodies for use in methods for the treatment of cancer cachexia and also for the treatment of cancer. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions, kits, methods and uses and cell lines capable of producing the monoclonal antibodies of the invention.

Abstract: Communication systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of the invention utilize modulation on zeros. Carrier frequency offsets (CFO) can result in an unknown rotation of all zeros of a received signal's z-transform. Therefore, a binary MOCZ scheme (BMOCZ) can be utilized in which the modulated binary data is encoded using a cycling register code (e.g. CPC or ACPC), enabling receivers to determine cyclic shifts in the BMOCZ symbol resulting from a CFO. Receivers in accordance with several embodiments of the invention include decoders capable of decoding information bits from received discrete-time baseband signals by: estimating a timing offset for the received signal; determining a plurality of zeros of a z-transform of the received symbol; identifying zeros from the plurality of zeros that encode received bits by correcting fractional rotations resulting from the CFO; and decoding information bits based upon the received bits using a cycling register code.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for use in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis of a subject, wherein the composition comprises an inhibitor of miR-21 and a moiety that delivers said inhibitor of miR-21 to a macrophage. Further, the composition may be administered by a pulmonary administration. In particular aspects, said subject to be treated suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and further has a lung disease or disorder, wherein the lung disease or disorder may be a corona virus disease. Furthermore, the invention relates to a composition, wherein the composition comprises an inhibitor of miR-21 and a moiety that delivers said inhibitor of miR-21 to a lung macrophage.

Abstract: A composition comprising nanoparticles, a method for the preparation of a composition comprising nanoparticles and uses of the composition for dental treatment are provided. Each nanoparticle is made of polymeric material and includes an antimicrobial agent encapsulated therein. The polymeric material can include Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), or other polymers such as Polylactic (PLA), Polyglycolic (PGA), or Polycaprolactone (PCL). The active molecule is calcium hydroxide in the range of 0.1 to 5 mg/ml. The composition has a pH in the range of 8-13.

Abstract: It is provided a reversible streptavidin based analyte enrichment system for use in crosslinking mass spectrometry analysis, in particular for enriching at least parts of crosslinked peptides pairs in mass spectrometry analysis, and a method of enriching at least parts of crosslinked peptides pairs, in particular for use in crosslinking mass spectroscopy analysis.

Abstract: A system and methods for determining a mechanical tissue characteristic (?) are provided. The system comprises a providing unit for providing a set of images of a tissue region of interest, wherein the provided set of images comprises image features indicative of one or more structural properties (?, a0, CO, PG) of the tissue region of interest and has been acquired using an imaging modality suitable for in-vivo imaging of the tissue region of interest. The system further comprises a determining unit for determining, based on the provided set of images, a mechanical tissue characteristic (?) indicative of a mechanical responsiveness of the tissue region of interest. The determining unit comprises a machine learning architecture adapted to receive the provided set of images as an input and to provide the mechanical tissue characteristic as an output.

Abstract: The application describes a method for producing a population of cardiac stromal cells from pluripotent stem cells. Specifically, the method relates to (i) inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition of pluripotent stem cell derived epicardial cells and (ii) amplifying the number of cardiac stromal cells in serum-free conditions. These cardiac stromal cells can be mass produced according to the described method and said cells maintain the expression of CD90, CD73 and CD44 in at least 80% of the cardiac stromal cells. Furthermore, the application relates to a population of cardiac stromal cells, which are pluripotent stem cells derived and wherein at least 80% of the cardiac stromal cells express CD90, CD73 and CD44. Said cardiac stromal form the basis for several in vitro and in vivo applications such as the production of engineered organ tissue and the support of, for example, heart repair. Also, a serum- free culture medium for the amplification of cardiac stromal cells is provided herein.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel conjugates and processes for the preparation thereof.

Abstract: A method for contacting and packaging a semiconductor chip of a power electronic component. The power electronic component has a first contact face produced in a first step via a multi-material printing process and a semiconductor chip, which is placed in a second step onto the first contact face. A ceramic insulation layer, which surrounds the semiconductor chip along its circumference and extends over the first contact face not covered by the semiconductor chip, is printed in a third step onto the first contact face. A second contact face is printed in a fourth step onto the ceramic insulation layer and the semiconductor chip. In a fifth step, the power electronic component is sintered by means of heat treatment.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a novel method for the detection of circulating histones H3 and H2B in plasma from sepsis or septic shock (SS) patients, based on mass spectrometry-based methods, in particular based on multiple reaction monitoring targeted mass spectrometry (MRM-MS). Such methods allow quantification of histones using an internal standard and show strong specificity and sensitivity values.

Abstract: The present invention provides antibodies useful as therapeutics for treating and/or preventing diseases associated with cells expressing CLD18, including tumor-related diseases such as gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, hepatic cancer, head-neck cancer, and cancer of the gallbladder.

Abstract: Methods of providing neuromodulation therapy to a patient are disclosed herein. In particular, methods of applying deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders are disclosed. Aspects of the methods involve using stimulation waveforms having a first polarity (e.g., cathodic stimulation) to determine an optimum arrangement of electrodes for providing the therapy (i.e., identifying a sweet-spot for stimulation). Therapy is then provided using the optimum arrangement of electrodes to deliver stimulation waveforms having the opposite polarity (e.g., anodic stimulation).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a combination of inhibitory nucleic acid agents directed at a combination of transcription factors for treatment of heart failure. The combination of inhibited transcription factors comprises one of the groups selected from RARa, TCF7L2, E2F6 and LEF1, or RARa, TCF7L2, E2F7 and NFYb. The combinatorial inhibition of these transcription factors is shown to increase cardiomyocyte proliferation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stoichiometric salt of a tetracarboxylic acid and a diamine of the following general formula (I), wherein R1 is selected from tetravalent residues of butane, cyclobutane, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, tetrahydrofurane and benzophenone and R2 is selected from divalent residues of unbranched, branched or cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons with 3 to 15 carbon atoms, with the proviso that the salt of the formula (I) is water-soluble and is selected from compounds (1) to (28); and to the polyimides prepared from these salts by polycondensation.

Abstract: A photoconducting layered material arrangement for producing or detecting high frequency radiation includes a semiconductor material including an alloy comprised of InGaAs, InGaAsSb, or GaSb, with an admixture of Al, which material is applied to a suitable support substrate in a manner such that the lattices are suitably adjusted, wherewith the semiconductor material comprised of InGaAlAs, InGaAlAsSb, or GaAlSb has a band gap of more than 1 eV, as a consequence of the admixed proportion of Al. The proportion x of Al in the semiconductor material InyGa1-y-xAlxAs is between x=0.2 and x=0.35, wherewith the proportion y of In may be between 0.5 and 0.55. The support substrate is InP or GaAs.