Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide and a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide for use in a method of detecting the presence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) and/or of diagnosing an HDV infection and/or of monitoring the treatment of an HDV infection. The present invention further relates to an in vitro method, an immunographic test device as well as a kit. In particular, the present invention relates to a point of care diagnostic for HDV infections.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing mixtures of hydrocarbons and aromatic compounds, for use as fuel components (preferably in the range C5-C16), by means of catalytic conversion of the oxygenated organic compounds contained in aqueous fractions derived from biomass treatments, wherein said method can comprise at least the following steps: (i) bringing the aqueous mixture containing the oxygenated organic compounds derived from biomass in contact with a catalyst comprising at least Sn and Nb, Sn and Ti, and combinations of Sn, Ti and Nb; (ii) reacting the mixture with the catalyst in a catalytic reactor at temperatures between 100 and 350° C. and under pressures from 1 to 80 bar in the absence of hydrogen; and (iii) recovering the products obtained by means of the liquid/liquid separation of the aqueous and organic phases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved methanation process, wherein energy released during the methanation process is used to drive a turbocharger to drive and/or maintain the process. The present invention is further concerned with a system for the production of methane-enriched gas and power from hydrogen and carbon-containing starting materials comprising at least one methanation reactor and at least one turbocharger.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a multilayer engineered heart muscle that includes (i) providing a liquid reconstitution mixture in a mould and (ii) culturing the mixture. The method includes a sequential addition of one or more further liquid reconstitution mixtures to obtain a multilayer engineered heart muscle. The muscle ideally has the form of a patch, a pouch, or a cylinder. Furthermore, a multilayer engineered heart muscle having collagen, cardiac myocytes and non-myocytes originating from at least 2 layers is disclosed. The multilayer engineered heart muscle forms the basis for several in vitro and in vivo applications such as the production of a multilayer engineered heart muscle for use in a patient, for example for use in heart repair.

Abstract: A system for detecting moisture including: moisture sensors and a control module including a reader module, the control module is configured to: obtain a numerical value related to the feature of the selected response signal of the sensor element which is shielded against liquid; obtain a numerical value related to the feature of the selected response signal of the sensor element which is not shielded against liquid; determine a difference between the obtained numerical value related to the feature of the selected response signal from the sensor element which is shielded against liquid and the obtained numerical value related to the feature of the selected response signal from the sensor element which is not shielded against liquid; determine the detection of moisture if the determined difference is above or below a threshold. A method of detecting moisture is also provided.

Abstract: High affinity macrocyclic FKB51-Inhibitors (HAM-FKB51-Inhibitors), which enable the selective inhibition of FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs). The molecules are useful for the treatment of psychiatric disorders, metabolic disorders, pain diseases, and cancers.

Abstract: A method for determining the joint positions of a kinematic chain uses only an imaging sensor and a computing unit. Characteristic features on the links and joints of the kinematic chain are identified and the joint positions are calculated from these visual measurements. The robot can be controlled without the use of joint encoders. A sensor system for monitoring the status of a kinematic chain includes a computing unit and an imaging sensor. The imaging sensor may be mounted to the kinematic chain or in the surroundings of the kinematic chain and monitors the kinematic chain and/or the surroundings of the kinematic chain. The computing unit determines a pose and/or movement parameters of at least one element of the kinematic chain by analyzing an output signal of the imaging sensor, in particular by analyzing characteristic features and determines a rotational joint position by analyzing the characteristic features.

Abstract: A method is proposed for generating single photons with a predetermined wavelength fV, with the following steps: i) generating a single photon, preferably in a source and a resonator, wherein the single photon has a resonator wavelength fR and a resonator bandwidth fBR, ii) measuring the resonator wavelength fR, preferably in a wavelength standard, wherein the single photon is guided from the resonator to the wavelength standard via a beam guide, iii) comparing the resonator wavelength fR with the predetermined wavelength fV and generating a control signal on the basis of the comparison, preferably in a controller, iv) adjusting the resonator using the control signal in order to change the resonator wavelength fR toward or to the predetermined wavelength fV, v) repeating steps i to iv) until the resonator wavelength fR corresponds to the predetermined wavelength fV and then coupling out.

Abstract: A multiple solar cell having at least two partial cells, at least being formed from a direct semiconductor, having an upper partial cell facing the light and a lower partial cell facing away from the light, an upper bandgap of the upper partial cell being greater than a lower bandgap of the lower partial cell, and an intermediate layer arranged on the lower partial cell side facing away from the light. An optical element including a lower mirror element is arranged on the intermediate layer side facing away from the light, and has a partial element having structural elements arranged in a lateral direction on the intermediate layer side facing away from the light. The structural elements have a mean spacing less than or equal to 1.3 times a spacing value that results from a ratio of a wavelength of the lower bandgap to a refractive index of the lower partial cell or the lower mirror element has a roughness having a root-mean-square value of less than 50 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to the use of a kit or composition comprising at least one yeast and at least one bacterium, selected from the group consisting of lactobacillales, rhizobiales and bifidobacteriales, and/or comprising calcium for improving plant health, for improving plant resistance to plant pathogens, for preventing or reducing mycotoxin contamination of plant material, for improving plant resistance to a plant disease, for preventing perithecia formation of a plant pathogen on plant debris, for plant protection and/or as plant stimulant. The present invention also relates to corresponding compositions and kits and a method of applying such composition or kit to a living plant or plant debris.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for testing ocular drug delivery is provided. The ocular drug delivery is characterized by a set of delivery parameters comprising at least one of drug type, drug concentration, drug amount, injection position, penetration depth. The method comprises: providing a model for the human eye, wherein the model comprises: a geometry equation defining a three-dimensional generalized limacon for the geometry of the vitreous body, geometry equations describing all components of the eye; and a set of equations defining a drug convection in the vitreous body; setting a target drug state in the vitreous body; using the model to perform at least one simulation of the ocular drug delivery with a given set of values for the set of delivery parameters, wherein the at least one simulation provides a simulated drug state in the vitreous body; comparing the target drug state and the simulated drug state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of antibodies useful in therapy and diagnosis. It specifically discloses bioconjugates comprising one or more antibodies bound to functionalized, magnetic nanoparticles. These bioconjugates are useful in cancer therapy, particularly for removing circulating tumor cells. The invention further pertains to specific functionalized, magnetic nanoparticles and to the manufacturing of such bioconjugates and such functionalized, magnetic nanoparticles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising a silk polypeptide and an antigen. Further, the present invention relates to an article comprising the polypeptide. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the article. In addition, the present invention relates to the article or pharmaceutical composition for use as a pharmaceutical, for inducing an immune response and/or for use in a prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of a disease.

Abstract: The invention relates to a medical imaging system which repeatedly irradiates a capturing area of a patient with a radiation and acquires data from the irradiated area of the patient and generates images from such acquired data, characterized in that the system is arranged for automatic adaptive adjustment of at least one parameter of the system influencing the image quality of the generated images dependent from the position, spatial orientation and/or type of an intervention tool which is introduced into the patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic field exposure system for use in exposing organic cells, cellular tissue or at least a part of a subject to a low frequency magnetic field. The system includes a magnetic field generator and amplifier feeding one or more electromagnetic coils configured to produce a magnetic field that varies according to an amplitude modulated signal with a carrier frequency of from 360 to 450. Hz, wherein the modulation frequency is from 0.5 to 100. Hz; and wherein the MF has a field strength of from 0.5 to 250 ?T.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transmitting data using various Modulation on Zeros schemes are described. In many embodiments, a communication system is utilized that includes a transmitter having a modulator that modulates a plurality of information bits to encode the bits in the zeros of the z-transform of a discrete-time baseband signal. In addition, the communication system includes a receiver having a decoder configured to decode a plurality of bits of information from the samples of a received signal by: determining a plurality of zeros of a z-transform of a received discrete-time baseband signal based upon samples from a received continuous-time signal, identifying zeros that encode the plurality of information bits, and outputting a plurality of decoded information bits based upon the identified zeros.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ratio of immune cells for use in a method of predicting therapeutic success of an allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) in a patient suffering from or having a disposition to develop an allergic disease. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a kit for predicting therapeutic success of an allergen-specific immunotherapy in a patient suffering from or having a disposition to develop an allergic disease. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of predicting therapeutic success of an allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) in a patient suffering from or having a disposition to develop an allergic disease.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid products that interfere with or inhibit PROS1 gene expression. It further relates to therapeutic uses of PROS1 inhibition for the treatment of bleeding disorders.

Abstract: An implantable electrode arrangement includes an electrically insulating carrier structure and an electrically conductive layer including an electrically conductive thin film layer. The electrically conductive thin film layer is structured to form at least one implantable electrode. The at least one implantable electrode has a local fractalization through a self-similar structuring chosen such that a mechanical resonance of the electrode in response to electric excitation with an excitation voltage is minimized.

Abstract: Methods are provided of automatically evolving a process model including process-elements and relationships between process-elements. The method comprises receiving user input defining one or more new constraints to be satisfied by the evolved process model. The method further comprises performing an optimization method to find a best solution of a cost function depending on a set of optimization conditions, over a solution space of possible consistent and/or sound process models derivable from the process model to be evolved depending on the one or more new constraints. The set of optimization conditions comprises maximization of constraints satisfaction corresponding to satisfaction of the one or more new constraints and of previous constrains from previous executions of the method. The method still further comprises updating the process model with the obtained best solution. Computer programs and systems are also provided that are suitable for performing such methods.