Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for twin-focus photothermal correlation spectroscopy for the characterization of dynamical processes in liquids and biomaterials with the help of absorbing markers. Thereby non-fluorescent absorbing nano objects are heated by an intensity-modulated heating laser which leads to a refractive index gradient lens around the object. This refractive index gradient is detected by a detection laser with a focal volume that, depending on the position of the heated object relative to the focal plane of the detection beam, splits into two-sub-volumes forming a twin-focus comprising two sharply separated parts of a focal volume showing no spatial overlap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of organs which are degenerative and/or in the pathological state by means of the use of cells, which are phenotypically stably differentiating or differentiated but not necessarily ultimately predetermined with respect to development, from a donor organ selected according to the principles of the opposite cell differentiation program (OCDP) and also to the use of cells of this type for the treatment or for the production of a drug for treatment of the same. Furthermore, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical agents comprising suitable phenotypically stable cells, cells of a first organ which is different from the second organ with respect to organ type thereby being used, which, in the normal physiological state with respect to a predetermined set of expressed genes and/or phenotypical properties, have opposite properties to the second cells in the normal physiological state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparation of a 2-chloro-1,10-phenanthrolinamine, comprising the steps: i) conversion of a 2-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline to a 2-chloro-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline characterized by a formula 2, j) hydrogenation of said 2-chloro-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline characterized by formula 5 to a 2-chloro-1,10-phenanthrolinaminecharacterized by formula 3. The present invention relates further to a method for preparation of a 2-[2-[bis(carboxymethyl)amino]ethyl-[2-[carboxymethyl-[2-[4-[2-(isothiocyanato-1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)ethynyl]anilino]-2-oxo-ethyl]amino]ethyl]amino]acetic acidcharacterized by formula 7 and a method for quantifying a biomolecule in a sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of biology and medicine, and more specifically, to the field of stem-cell biology, involving producing or generating melanocytes from stem-cells and precursors derived from human hair root. Additionally, the present invention relates to the materials and method for producing autografts, homografts or allografts comprising melanocytes in general, as well as the materials and methods for producing autografts, homografts and allografts comprising melanocytes for the treatment of diseases related to depigmentation of the skin and for the treatment of scars.

Abstract: In a method for preparing an animal model for the human immune system in a non-human mammal, human stem cells with hematopoietic potential are transplanted into a non-human mammal. The non-human mammal is conditioned with cell culture supernatant of a culture of human cell lines, cells and/or tissue. The cell culture supernatant is derived from cell lines producing cytokines and other molecular mediators.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for twin-focus photothermal correlation spectroscopy for the characterization of dynamical processes in liquids and biomaterials with the help of absorbing markers. Thereby non-fluorescent absorbing nano objects are heated by an intensity-modulated heating laser which leads to a refractive index gradient lens around the object. This refractive index gradient is detected by a detection laser with a focal volume that, depending on the position of the heated object relative to the focal plane of the detection beam, splits into two-sub-volumes forming a twin-focus comprising two sharply separated parts of a focal volume showing no spatial overlap.

Abstract: The invention relates to modified antibiotic peptides, in particular derivatives of apidaecin and oncocin, preferably having increased stability, reduced immunoreaction, and improved pharmacokinetics. In the invention, the peptide antibiotics are reversibly protected by means of a linker having the polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG). The peptide linker contains a recognition sequence for trypsin-like serum proteases. In the apidaecin derivatives, the linker and the PEG are bonded to a side chain. In the serum, the linker is cut by serum proteases and PEG is separated off. The released peptide still contains remnants of the linker, which are still bonded to the amino group in the side chain. Astonishingly, said remaining remnants of the linker impair the activity of the antimicrobial peptide only a little or not at all.

Abstract: The present invention is based on two important experimental observations: The first observation is that increased extracellular concentrations of ionized calcium are found in erosive arthritis and stimulate monocytic IL-1? release via the CaSR and GPRC6A. Simultaneous stimulation of monocytes with calcium ions and selected TLR ligands results in a 20-fold increased IL1? response compared to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone. During the crosstalk between GPCR and TLR signaling, phospholipase C is activated, which triggers calcium dependent potassium channels, resulting in potassium efflux, caspase-1 activation and IL-1? release. The amplification of IL1? secretion at sites of locally increased calcium ion concentrations aggravates rheumatoid arthritis. The second important observation is that both CaSR and GPRC6A, are highly expressed in the synovial membrane of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but expression of GPRC6A, but not of CaSR, is lower in patients with osteoarthritis (s. FIG. 1).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and means for distinguishing malignant from benign tumor samples of the thyroid, by performing a RNA extraction in a standard fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) sample, in particular an air dried FNAB smear. The presence of gene-rearrangements and/or the expression of miRNA is analyzed in the isolated RNA, wherein the presence of a gene-rearrangement and/or the differential expression of miRNA is indicative for a malignant tumor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device (1, 100) for determining the sex of fertilized, nonincubated bird eggs (13, 130), where an egg (13, 130) has a solid egg shell (14), an egg yolk (2) which is surrounded by the egg shell and further egg integuments and a blastodisc (3) associated with the egg yolk (2), and where a probe (4, 40) for measuring a spectrum is introduced through a hole (17) of the egg shell (14) towards the blastodisc (3) with blastodisc cells (23), with the following steps: —positioning of the probe (4, 40) in the region of the blastodisc (3), —spectroscopic in-ovo characterization of the blastodisc cells (23), and —identification of the sex by an automatic classification of spectra.

Abstract: A method for diagnosis and/or prognosis of cancers, for diagnosis of the site of origin of tumour cells, for optimizing the treatment of cancer patients and for screening active substances for oncology. In the method, the mechanical properties of tumour cells and reference cells are analyzed under a mechanical load that leads to linear or nonlinear deformation of the respective loaded cell. The expansion of the cells, which results from the input of a directed mechanical stress, is used to determine the risk of tumour metastases and, if appropriate, the presence of uncontrollably proliferating and/or invasive cells, or the tissue of origin of the tumour. The risk of tumour metastases is determined on the basis of the proportion of cells in the sample that have an extension counter to the direction of stressing.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a novel circovirus as causative agent of bone marrow aplasia with haemorrhagic disease in cattle. The present invention provides novel nucleic acid and protein sequences for diagnostic and therapeutic uses.

Abstract: The present invention is based on two important experimental observations: The first observation is that increased extracellular concentrations of ionized calcium are found in erosive arthritis and stimulate monocytic IL-1? release via the CaSR and GPRC6A. Simultaneous stimulation of monocytes with calcium ions and selected TLR ligands results in a 20-fold increased IL1? response compared to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone. During the crosstalk between GPCR and TLR signaling, phospholipase C is activated, which triggers calcium dependent potassium channels, resulting in potassium efflux, caspase-1 activation and IL-1? release. The amplification of IL1? secretion at sites of locally increased calcium ion concentrations aggravates rheumatoid arthritis. The second important observation is that both CaSR and GPRC6A, are highly expressed in the synovial membrane of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but expression of GPRC6A, but not of CaSR, is lower in patients with osteoarthritis (s. FIG. 1).

Abstract: The invention relates to transparent rectifying contact structures for application in electronic devices, in particular appertaining to optoelectronics, solar technology and sensor technology, and also a method for the production thereof. The transparent rectifying contact structure according to the invention has the following constituents: a) a transparent semiconductor, b) a transparent, non-insulating and non-conducting layer composed of metal oxide, metal sulphide and/or metal nitride, the resistivity of which is preferably in the range of 102 ?cm to 107 ?cm and c) a layer composed of a transparent electrical conductor wherein the layer b) is formed between the semiconductor a) and the layer c) and the composition of the layer b) is defined in greater detail in the description of the patent.

Abstract: Mixing, physical and/or chemical reactions and separation are basic method steps in biological research and diagnosis. In research in particular, there is a need for problem-specific laboratory systems, but these are not commercially available because of small batch sizes and because of the specific problem involved. In the absence of these systems, existing vessels, filters, centrifuges, etc., have to be improvised in order to solve the problem. The aim of the invention is to make available a system of functional units that can in each case be plugged together depending on the methodological problem.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an in-vitro method for the formation of megamitochondria in cells, wherein the cells are grown in a suitable fermentation medium acidulated with lactic acid to pH values between 5.3 and 6.7. The invention further concerns H+ ionophores, ionophores which catalyze the electroneutral exchange of K+ for H+ and inhibitors of actin polymerisation for the prevention or treatment of a disease in which inhibiting or reducing the formation of megamitochondria has a beneficial effect.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomograph is provided with a magnetic resonance system comprising at least two high-frequency transmitting/receiving units, each containing 1) a high-frequency transmitting/receiving coil, 2) a high-frequency current source that can be coupled to the high-frequency transmitting/receiving coil for transmitting, and 3) an amplifier that can be coupled to the high-frequency transmitting/receiving coil for receiving. A selector switch is provided, which keys a supply voltage to disconnect the amplifier during a transmission operation and the high-frequency current source during a receiving operation from the high-frequency transmitting/receiving coil. An inductor and a capacitor are provided between the high-frequency transmitting/receiving coil and the amplifier and form a series resonating circuit at the magnetic resonance frequency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of organs which are degenerative and/or in the pathological state by means of the use of cells, which are phenotypically stably differentiating or differentiated but not necessarily ultimately predetermined with respect to development, from a donor organ selected according to the principles of the opposite cell differentiation program (OCDP) and also to the use of cells of this type for the treatment or for the production of a drug for treatment of the same. Furthermore, the present invention relates to pharmaceutical agents comprising suitable phenotypically stable cells, cells of a first organ which is different from the second organ with respect to organ type thereby being used, which, in the normal physiological state with respect to a predetermined set of expressed genes and/or phenotypical properties, have opposite properties to the second cells in the normal physiological state.

Abstract: A medicament for treating pregnancy disorders or for inducing an immunological tolerance in patients with autoimmune diseases or transplantation processes, contains at least one each of a) a precursor hCG ? subunit of the human choriongonadotropine (hCG) selected from hCG ?6 according to SEQ ID NO 1 or SEQ ID NO 2 and hCG ?7 according to SEQ ID NO 5 or a mature hCG ? subunit selected from hCG ?6 according to SEQ ID NO 3 or SEQ ID NO 4 and hCG ?7 according to SEQ ID NO 6 or glycolised fragments of these sequences; and b) a precursor ? subunit of hCG according to SEQ ID NO 9 or the mature ? subunit of hCG according to SEQ ID NO 10 or glycolysed fragments of these sequences, wherein the ? subunits and the ? subunits are preferably used in equimolar quantities.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include Optical Cell Guidance (OCG) methods and apparatus to control cell growth. This system guides the leading edge of motile cells with an optical gradient, which biases the cell's motion into the light by pulling on proteins, which act like soft dielectrics in the electromagnetic field. OCG differs from those devices described above in that it controls the direction of cell motility. This is an entirely new field, and the first device to directly manipulate cell motility. OCG differs from current approaches in that it does not trap or hold particles. Instead of trapping and pulling the cell, the goal of OCG is to influence, direct, and control the growth of a growth cone.