Abstract: The particle sensor device comprises a substrate, a photodetector, a dielectric on or above the substrate, a source of electromagnetic radiation, and a through-substrate via in the substrate. The through-substrate via is exposed to the environment, in particular to ambient air. A waveguide is arranged in or above the dielectric so that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source of electromagnetic radiation is coupled into a portion of the waveguide. A further portion of the waveguide is opposite the photodetector, so that said portions of the waveguide are on different sides of the through-substrate via, and the waveguide traverses the through-substrate via.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymeric particles comprising a biodegradable polymer, and at least one microorganism in a total concentration of at least 108 CFU/g dry weight that is stable for at least 35 weeks at 30° C. and optionally additional carriers and additives as well as to methods for producing polymeric particles and use thereof.

Abstract: A particulate matter sensor system for sensing particulate matter in a fluid includes a substrate and a cover disposed on the substrate. The cover defines at least a portion of a flow path through the microfluidic system. The sensor system includes a particulate matter sensor disposed in an interior space between the cover and the substrate. The particulate matter sensor includes an integrated sensor device electrically connected to the substrate. The flow path is defined through the particulate matter sensor. The sensor system includes a fluid circulation device disposed in the interior space between the cover and the substrate and configured to cause fluid to flow along the flow path through the microfluidic system.

Abstract: A method can be provided for analyzing a fluidic sample with dispersed particles. Using such exemplary method, it is possible to irradiate the sample with light, so that the photons of the light transfer momentum to the particles. It is also possible to measure at least one property of the particles that is altered by the momentum transfer. The light can be a propagating beam with an intensity distribution that has gradients pointing to more than one point within each plane normal to the direction of propagation, while varying steadily along the direction of propagation, and/or a 3D vortex trap beam that is configured to confine the particles in a three-dimensional volume by means of high-intensity gradients. An exemplary device can also be provided (e.g., for performing the method), comprising a chamber for holding a sample that is elongate along an axis and configured to pass a beam of light along the axis.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining, in a sample, enrichments of a first and a second stable-labeled tracer of a target substance including glucose, the first tracer and the second tracer having the same or similar chemical structure as the target substance, the method including: ionizing the first tracer, the second tracer and the target substance of the sample; measuring intensities of ions deriving from the target substance, the first tracer and the second tracer using a mass analyzer; calculating an enrichment of the first tracer from a first ratio of intensity of the ions deriving from the first tracer to the intensity of the ions deriving from the target substance employing a first calibration curve independent of enrichments of each of the second tracer; wherein the mass analyzer is operated so as to resolve an ion peak deriving from a tracer and having a width ?(m/z) at half maximum peak height equal to or smaller than 1×10?2.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel inhibitors of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) having an improved inhibitory activity against human ATGL (hATGL) as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising these inhibitors, and their therapeutic use, particularly in the treatment or prevention of a lipid metabolism disorder, including, e.g., obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypertriglyceridemia, metabolic syndrome, cardiac and skeletal muscle steatosis, congenital generalized lipodystrophy, familial partial lipodystrophy, acquired lipodystrophy syndrome, atherosclerosis, or heart failure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of diagnosing pulmonary hypertension (PH) in a patient, a method of monitoring the course of pulmonary hypertension in a patient, a method of determining the severity of pulmonary hypertension in a patient, and a method of differentiating between pulmonary hypertension and at least one condition selected from a group consisting of a disease associated with a risk of developing pulmonary hypertension and metabolic syndrome. In addition, the present invention relates to a kit comprising means for carrying out the above methods.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to a measuring device for measuring the flow velocity of a flowing fluid, comprising a first measuring element, which is configured to measure the flow velocity of the fluid and includes an interface that can be exposed to the flowing fluid, a second measuring element, which is configured to measure a characteristic property of the fluid and includes an interface that can be exposed to the flowing fluid, and an evaluation unit, which is connected to the first and second measuring elements and configured to correct the flow velocity, measured by the first measuring element, by the influence of the property of the fluid, measured by the second measuring element, on the measurement of the flow velocity. The disclosed subject matter furthermore relates to a measuring probe for such a measuring device.

Abstract: Method for processing of a grey scale image, in particular a dim grey scale image, comprising the following steps: a) receiving an initial grey scale image, said initial grey scale image having a plurality of pixels at an initial resolution, b) calculating parameters characterizing the luminance (gain, median_grey, var_grey) and the noise level (X, noise_estimate, radius_spatial_summation, grid_size, threshold_var) of the initial grey scale image of step a), c) creating a basic intermediate image, d) creating an averaged intermediate image, and e) creating an enhanced grey scale image by interpolation of pixels based on the averaged receptors (greyAvg) of the averaged intermediate image of step d).

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to a method and a system for determining a position of a movable agent device in a reflective environment of which a geometric model is known and in which at least one anchor device has a predetermined position, comprising: transmitting a first and a second ultra-wideband pulse signal via a first and a second uni-directional antenna of the anchor device, respectively, and receiving respective received signals via an omni-directional antenna of the agent device; defining a set of candidate positions within said geometric model, and, for each candidate position, calculating a set of multipath components as a function of the geometric model, directivities of the uni-directional antennas and the position of the anchor device; determining a deviation measure between the calculated multipath components and said received signals; and obtaining the position of the agent device as the candidate position with the minimum deviation measure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing 2-O-glyceryl-?-D-glucopyranoside (?GG; FIG. 1) from a glucosyl donor and a glucosyl acceptor comprising the steps: providing a sucrose phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.7), incubating said sucrose phosphorylase with a mixture comprising a glucosyl donor and glycerol as glucosyl acceptor and isolating and/or purifying 2-O-glyceryl-?-D-glucopyranoside.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising at least one signaling domain and a potassium sensor which is capable of binding K+ and the first signaling domain is capable of generating a detectable signal upon binding of K+ to the potassium sensor. The invention also relates to a polynucleotide encoding said polypeptide and the use of the polypeptide in various applications for the detection of K+.

Abstract: A placement aid for placing a catheter and a sensor wire into a body including a replacement device arranged in an interchangeable and replaceable manner having a main body, a placement needle, a catheter and a sensor wire. The placement needle is arranged within the catheter so that a tip of the placement needle protrudes from an end of the catheter along a puncturing direction and penetrates the skin when the catheter is inserted along the puncturing direction to generate a skin opening through which the catheter can be guided up to a subcutaneous final position. The sensor wire is arranged in the placement needle when the catheter is inserted along the puncturing direction and when the subcutaneous final position of the catheter is reached, the placement needle can be withdrawn from the catheter against the puncturing direction and the sensor wire remains in the catheter.

Abstract: An electrode for an electrochemical element with an organic electrolyte includes a polymeric material containing or composed of subunits according to general formulae (I) and/or (II): wherein n is an integer ?2, Y represents an amide group (—NH—CO— or —CO—NH—), an ester group (—O—CO— or —CO—O—) or a urethane group (—NH—CO—O— or —O—CO—NH—), R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent H, alkyl (preferably —CH3, —C2H5), Alkoxy-(preferably —OCH3, —OC2H5), -halogen or —CN, Ar1 and Ar4 independently represent a bridging aryl group, Ar2 and Ar3 independently represent a non-bridging aryl group, and R5 is a bridging alkyl, alkene or aryl group, wherein Ar1 and Ar4 in structures (I) and (II) independently represent a bridging aryl group.

Abstract: A device for the transcutaneous, in vivo measurement of the concentration of at least one analyte in a living organism includes a catheter which can be introduced into the organism, and a luminescence indicator, which is immobilized on the catheter and which reacts to a change in the concentration of the at least one analyte to be measured with a change in at least one optical property. The luminescence indicator is transcutaneously connected to a source for providing an excitation radiation and a detector for detecting the measuring radiation. The luminescence indicator is immobilized on the outer circumference of the catheter, which is used to dispense a fluid medium, for example a medication, into the organism or to drain a body fluid.

Abstract: The invention refers to a library of bidirectional expression cassettes or expression vectors comprising a repertoire of bidirectional promoter sequences, each expression cassette comprising a promoter sequence operably linked to a first gene in one direction, and operably linked to an oppositely oriented second gene in the other direction which is different from the first gene, and bidirectional Pichia pastoris or CHO cells promoter sequences. The invention further refers to a method of screening or selecting a bidirectional promoter suitable for expressing at least two GOI in a host cell and a kit comprising a) an expression cassette consisting of the first and second genes and a stuffer sequence separating them, which stuffer sequence comprises a recognition site for a type IIS restriction enzyme at both ends; b) the type IIS restriction enzyme; c) and a repertoire of promoter, preferably a promoter library including bidirectional promoters.

Abstract: A method a described which includes depositing a first component of a multicomponent system by means of an inkjet process, and depositing a second component of the multicomponent system by means of an inkjet process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composite material that comprises at least one magnesium component, whereby the magnesium component consists of pure magnesium or a magnesium-calcium alloy or a magnesium-calcium-X alloy, whereby X is another biodegradable element. The composite material also contains at least one organic anti-infective agent having a solubility in water at room temperature of less than 10 grams per liter.

Abstract: The invention concerns a storage device (23, 45) for storing receptacles (10), preferably cryo-vials (10), in a carrier structure (3), the storage device (23, 45) comprising pockets (20) each for holding an individual receptacle (10), wherein the pockets (20) are connected one above the other in direction of a common longitudinal axis (59) and the storage device (23, 45) being provided with openings for inserting and retrieving receptacles (10) into and from said pockets (20) in longitudinal direction (60) and/or in lateral direction (61). Also a storage and storage-access system according to the invention is indicated.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a synchronous rectification circuit having an actively controlled switching element through which resonant current flows during operation. The actively controlled switching element is disposed in a package which adds stray inductance to a main current path of the synchronous rectification circuit. The electronic device also includes a fixed inductor magnetically coupled to the stray inductance or an additional inductance in series with the stray inductance so that the fixed inductor is not in the main current path of the synchronous rectification circuit and change in current through the inductance to which the fixed inductor is magnetically coupled induces a reference voltage at the fixed inductor which is in phase with a zero crossing point of the resonant current at different switching frequencies of the actively controlled switching element. A corresponding method of controlling the electronic device is also described.