Abstract: There are provided a method for producing a photovoltaic element with stabilised efficiency, and a device which may be used to carry out the method, for example in the form of a specially adapted continuous furnace. A silicon substrate to be provided with an emitter layer and electrical contacts is thereby subjected to a stabilisation treatment step. In that step, hydrogen, for example from a hydrogenated silicon nitride layer, is introduced into the silicon substrate, for example within a zone (2) of maximum temperature. The silicon substrate may then purposively be cooled rapidly in a zone (3) in order to avoid hydrogen effusion. The silicon substrate may then purposively be maintained, for example in a zone (4), within a temperature range of from 230° C. to 450° C. for a period of, for example, at least 10 seconds. The previously introduced hydrogen may thereby assume an advantageous bond state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for connecting a cannula to a container under reduced pressure, in particular a blood culture flask, including an inflow opening for connecting to the cannula or to a connection tube connected to the cannula, an outflow opening for connecting to a hollow pin for piercing a closure of the container, and a tight fluidic connection of the inflow opening to the outflow opening. According to the invention, a reservoir which is separated from the fluidic connection and contains a specified gas quantity is connected to the fluidic connection with the interposition of a valve which is preferably open towards the fluidic connection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the fertility of spermatozoa, said method comprising determining the total content of Vimentin variant 3 (Vim3) per spermatozoon and/or the spatial localization of the Vim3 in the spermatozoa, wherein a decreased amount of total content and/or decreased amount of (or even missing) accumulation of Vim3 in the mid piece of the spermatozoa indicates decreased fertility. Further, the present invention refers to a dipstick usable for this method. Moreover, the present invention relates to further methods and uses in the context of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an isolated antisense oligonucleotide for use in a method of preventing or treating an inflammatory disease or condition of the buccal cavity in a canine subject, wherein said antisense oligonucleotide is directed against canine ICAM-1. The present invention further relates to compositions or articles of manufacture comprising said antisense oligonucleotide.

Abstract: The invention provides a human IL-2 (hlL-2)-specific monoclonal antibody, wherein a complex of hlL-2 and the monoclonal induces IL-2 signalling preferentially via CD25 and the trimeric IL-2R. The invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising hlL-2 and said hlL-2-mAb for use treating inflammatory disease.

Abstract: A method, a software application, and a reader for evaluating a matrix code in an image, in which the patterns of the individual symbol rows are reconstructed, and scanning values are determined at the intersections of the symbol row patterns. Firstly, the approximate position of each of the symbols along the symbol rows in the direction of a first dimension of the image is determined successively, with the determined pixel positions being used as the position of the symbols in the direction of the first dimension, and subsequently the patterns of the individual symbol rows along the other dimension of the complete image are determined successively. These two steps are then repeated for the other dimension. The scanning points are determined on the basis of the properties of the data modulation taking into consideration the channel distortions. A decorrelation of the scanned symbols reduceS the local inter-symbol interferences.

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 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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.