Abstract: The invention relates to a HLA-B57 open conformer or a HLA-B57 Fc fusion protein for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer. The Fc open conformer comprises or consists of a first and a second monomer, and each monomer comprises a HLA-B57 chain. The Fc fusion protein further comprises a protein stabilizing polypeptide sequence and optionally an amino acid linker. Further aspects of the invention provide combination medicaments comprising the HLA-B57 Fc open conformer and immune checkpoint inhibitors and/or checkpoint agonist agents. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of HLA-B57 open conformer as an immunomodulator, particularly in diseases where modulation of diverse immune cell components (e.g. cytotoxic CD8+T cells, Tregs) is a therapeutic strategy, e.g. infectious diseases.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to derivatives of neamine-based aminoglycoside antibacterial drugs modified in position C6?, C2? and/or C5?. The modifications impart favorable properties regarding activity against ESKAPE pathogens, evasion of resistance traits and increased selectivity, enabling systemic use of the compounds.

Abstract: The invention relates to an infectious arenavirus particle that is engineered to contain a genome with the ability to amplify and express its genetic information in infected cells but unable to produce further infectious progeny particles in normal, not genetically engineered cells. One or more of the four arenavirus open reading frames glycoprotein (GP), nucleoprotein (NP), matrix protein Z and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L are removed or mutated to prevent replication in normal cells but still allowing gene expression in arenavirus vector-infected cells, and foreign genes coding for an antigen or other protein of interest or nucleic acids modulating host gene expression are expressed under control of the arenavirus promoters, internal ribosome entry sites or under control of regulatory elements that can be read by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, cellular RNA polymerase I, RNA polymerase II or RNA polymerase III.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for distinguishing a first nucleic acid sequence from a second nucleic acid sequence by electrophoresis. The first nucleic acid comprises a first common sequence tract, a variable sequence tract and a second common sequence tract and the second nucleic acid comprises a first common sequence tract, optionally an variable sequence tract and a second common sequence tract. The first and the second nucleic acid sequence is contacted with a probe sequence that is reverse complementary to the first and second common sequence tract under conditions allowing the hybridization of the probe sequence to the first and second nucleic acid sequence, thereby forming a first probe hybrid and a second probe hybrid. Subsequently, the first and second probe hybrids are submitted to electrophoresis to detect the electrophoretic mobility of the first and second probe hybrid.

Abstract: For improving the safety of optical measurements performed with an apparatus comprising a set of light sources and detectors controlled by an electronic unit for measuring an optical or physiological parameter in a scattering medium, in particular human tissue, based on a set of measurement wavelengths, it is suggested that the apparatus features at least one optical contact detector, for example in the form of a photodiode or a light sensitive end facet of an optical fiber or the like, for measuring a detection light quantity resulting from a detection wavelength, and wherein the apparatus issues an alarm signal, in case the measured detection light quantity indicates a low optical coupling efficiency between the apparatus and the medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to an infectious arenavirus particle that is engineered to contain a genome with the ability to amplify and express its genetic information in infected cells but unable to produce further infectious progeny particles in normal, not genetically engineered cells. One or more of the four arenavirus open reading frames glycoprotein (GP), nucleoprotein (NP), matrix protein Z and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L are removed or mutated to prevent replication in normal cells but still allowing gene expression in arenavirus vector-infected cells, and foreign genes coding for an antigen or other protein of interest or nucleic acids modulating host gene expression are expressed under control of the arenavirus promoters, internal ribosome entry sites or under control of regulatory elements that can be read by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, cellular RNA polymerase I, RNA polymerase II or RNA polymerase III.

Abstract: An illustrative method for estimating a direct-to-reverberant ratio of a sound signal is described, wherein the direct-to-reverberant ratio is indicative of a ratio between direct sound received from a sound source and reverberated sound received from reflections in an environment of the sound source. The method includes determining a first energy value of a sound signal for a first time frame; assigning to an onset value of the first time frame a positive value, if the difference of the first energy value of the first time frame and a second energy value of a preceding second time frame is greater than a threshold, and a zero value otherwise; and determining the direct-to-reverberant ratio by providing an onset signal comprising the onset value to a machine learning algorithm, which has been trained to determine the direct-to-reverberant ratio based on the onset signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions, immunogenic or vaccine compositions and pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention or treatment of insect bite hypersensitivity of equine mammals, preferably of horses. Furthermore, the invention provides methods for preventing or treating insect bite hypersensitivity of equine mammals, preferably of horses.

Abstract: The invention relates to a HLA-B57 open conformer or a HLA-B57 Fc fusion protein for use in the treatment or prevention of cancer. The Fc open conformer comprises or consists of a first and a second monomer, and each monomer comprises a HLA-B57 chain. The Fc fusion protein further comprises a protein stabilizing polypeptide sequence and optionally an amino acid linker. Further aspects of the invention provide combination medicaments comprising the HLA-B57 Fc open conformer and immune checkpoint inhibitors and/or checkpoint agonist agents. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of HLA-B57 open conformer as an immunomodulator, particularly in diseases where modulation of diverse immune cell components (e.g. cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, Tregs) is a therapeutic strategy, e.g. infectious diseases.

Abstract: The invention relates to MHC-Ia open conformers as immunomodulatory agents, particularly in the treatment or prevention of cancer. The open conformer comprises or consists of a first and a second monomer, and each monomer comprises a HLA-heavy chain from the MHC-Ia molecules. The open conformer further comprises a protein stabilizing polypeptide sequence and optionally an amino acid linker. Further aspects of the invention provide combination medicaments comprising the MHC-Ia open conformers and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of MHC-Ia open conformers as immunomodulators, particularly in diseases where the interaction to diverse immunoregulatory receptors such as KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2, KIR3DL3, LILRB1, LILRB2, and PTPRJ modulates an immune response, and in diseases were the negative modulation of Tregs is a therapeutic strategy, e.g. infectious diseases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the likelihood of a patient being responsive to cancer immunotherapy by determining the amount of T cells expressing the markers PD-1, CTLA-4, TIM-3, and CD38 and the amount of regulatory T cells (T-regs).

Abstract: The invention relates to a bispecific HER2-targeting agent that includes (a) a first polypeptide ligand that binds to HER2 extracellular domain 1, (b) a second polypeptide ligand that binds to HER2 extracellular domain 4, and (c) a linker covalently attaching said first polypeptide ligand to said second polypeptide ligand.

Abstract: A model-order reduction system and methods are described for providing a fast fluid flow simulation model of fluid flow in a conduit such as a blood vessel with stenosis. A first method is described for generating a reduced generic numerical model (20) for predicting fluid flow characteristics of fluid flowing through a subject conduit (7?). In steps 11, 12 and 13, geometric and fluid-flow parameter data are derived from CT image scans for each sampled conduit (7) in a reference set. A 3D model is generated (13) for each sampled conduit (7). The geometric parameter data, the 3D model and the fluid flow parameter data are used to generate solutions to fluid dynamics (such as the Navier-Stokes) equations for each sampled conduit (7), and a full order model is created comprising the geometric parameters data, the fluid flow parameter data and the Navier Stokes solutions.

Abstract: The invention relates a method for generating a motion-corrected image for visual-inertial odometry comprising an event camera rigidly connected to an inertial measurement unit (IMU), wherein the event camera comprises pixels arranged in an image plane that are configured to output events in presence of brightness changes in a scene at the time they occur, wherein each event comprises the time at which it is recorded and a position of the respective pixel that detected the brightness change, the method comprising the steps of: Acquiring at least one set of events (S), wherein the at least one set (S) comprises a plurality of subsequent events (e); Acquiring IMU data (D) for the duration of the at least one set (S); Generating a motion-corrected image from the at least one set (S) of events (e), wherein the motion-corrected image is obtained by assigning the position (xj) of each event (ej) recorded at its corresponding event time (tj) at an estimated event camera pose (Ttj) to an adjusted event position (x?j)

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a polymer scaffold that comprises the steps of providing a piece of a fabric of filaments of a first biodegradable or biocompatible polymer, applying a coating of a second polymer to said arrangement of filaments, and stretching the piece along its axis of longitudinal extension, thereby obtaining an aligned microfibrillar scaffold. The invention further relates to a method for providing an artificial tissue, and to a microfibrillar scaffold of aligned filaments obtained by the method of the invention.

Abstract: Circuits for generating random weights, such as for neuromorphic processors, include a first voltage node (VDD) for providing a supply voltage for the circuit and a second voltage node (VG) at a given electric potential. A first circuit element (Ma1) has a first electric current carrier concentration for outputting a first circuit element output signal. A second circuit element (Mb1) has a second electric current carrier concentration for outputting a second circuit element output signal. The first and second circuit elements are located between the first and second voltage nodes, which have a given voltage difference therebetween. The first and second circuit element output signals are different due to the first and second electric carrier concentrations being mismatched. The circuit further includes a subtraction unit configured to generate a respective random weight, which is represented by a difference between the first and second circuit element output signals.

Abstract: The invention relates to MHC-Ia open conformers as immunomodulatory agents, particularly in the treatment or prevention of cancer. The open conformer comprises or consists of a first and a second monomer, and each monomer comprises a HLA-heavy chain from the MHC-Ia molecules. The open conformer further comprises a protein stabilizing polypeptide sequence and optionally an amino acid linker. Further aspects of the invention provide combination medicaments comprising the MHC-Ia open conformers and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of MHC-Ia open conformers as immunomodulators, particularly in diseases where the interaction to diverse immunoregulatory receptors such as KIR3DL1, KIR3DL2, KIR3DL3, LILRB1, LILRB2, and PTPRJ modulates an immune response, and in diseases were the negative modulation of Tregs is a therapeutic strategy, e.g. infectious diseases.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of programming an analogue electronic neural network comprising a plurality of layers of somas. Any two consecutive layers of somas are connected by a matrix of synapses. The method comprises: applying test signals to inputs of the neural network; measuring at a plurality of measurement locations in the neural network responses of at least some somas and synapses to the test signals; extracting from the neural network, based on the responses, a first parameter set characterising the behaviour of the at least some somas; carrying out a training of the neural network by applying to a training algorithm the first parameter set and training data for obtaining a second parameter set; and programming the neural network by using the second parameter set. The invention also relates to the neural network and to a method of operating it.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for non-invasively determining the blood oxygen saturation within a subject's tissue by near-infrared spectroscopy is disclosed. Embodiments of the apparatus and method use the multi-distance method and take into account the attenuation of the light signal due to light absorbers other than hemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin and the scattering properties of a subject's tissue.

Abstract: A spectrophotometric apparatus for determining optical parameters in a scattering medium based on the measurement of attenuation of light propagating through said medium by diffusion. To eliminate the detrimental effect of light being guided in an intermediate optical layer between a surface of the medium and a contact surface of the apparatus, either a multitude of optical barriers may be formed in the contact surface or the angular range over which light is emitted or received by the apparatus may be limited by appropriate means. With both of these alternative approaches, light propagation in the intermediate layer can be suppressed, leading to increased measurement accuracy. This is particularly beneficial for building an oximeter with improved precision. Further aspects include features for improving the applicability of the apparatus on curved surfaces such as the strongly curved skulls of neonates.