Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for preparing a sample for imaging or diffraction experiments under cryogenic conditions, comprising the steps of applying a sample to sample carrier, such as a film on a support, in particular a grid comprising such a film on a support, or removing residual medium, typically liquid, from an incubated sample on a film on a support, and vitrifying the sample. The sample is vitrified by directing a jet of liquid coolant to the center of the film and onto the sample.

Abstract: The invention is in the field of molecular diagnosis of medical diseases and their treatment. More in particular, it provides methods and means for detecting hypertension, more in particular essential primary hypertension, even more in particular NOX5-dependent hypertension. The invention also provides methods for the treatment of hypertension, in particular essential primary hypertension, more in particular NOX5-dependent hypertension. The invention also provides theragnostics, wherein therapy is combined with diagnosis, more in particular wherein the level of NOX5 is determined in a sample from a subject and wherein the subject is treated with NOX5 inhibitors or compounds that decrease the levels of NOX5 if the NOX5 levels are above a certain threshold value.

Abstract: The invention relates to the radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject. In particular the invention relates to an endorectal probe device for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject. Furthermore the invention relates to an afterloading apparatus for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject using an endorectal probe device according to the invention. Moreover the invention relates to a method for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject, wherein the method implements the endorectal probe device according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more stimulators of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), or a combination of at least one stimulator of sGC and at least one activator of sGC, for use in a method of treatment of a disease and/or a disorder that is/are associated with a deficiency of cyclic 3?,5?-guanosine monophosphate in the patient to be treated. The invention also relates to a therapeutic combination comprising a first unit dose comprising an sGC stimulator and a second unit dose comprising an sGC activator. The invention also relates to a therapeutic combination comprising a first unit dose comprising a first sGC stimulator and a second unit dose comprising a second sGC stimulator, for use in a method for the treatment of a disease and/or a disorder that is/are associated with a deficiency of cyclic 3?,5?-guanosine monophosphate in the patient to be treated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a therapeutic combination comprising two or three of at least one NADPH oxidase inhibitor, at least one nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and at least one soluble guanylate cyclase agonist. More specifically, the invention relates to said therapeutic combination for use in the prevention or treatment of brain ischemia or for use in the prevention or treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising two or three of at least one NADPH oxidase inhibitor, at least one nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and at least one soluble guanylate cyclase agonist, and to said pharmaceutical composition for use in the prevention or treatment of brain ischemia or for use in the prevention or treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Abstract: The invention relates to the radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject. In particular the invention relates to an endorectal probe device for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject. Furthermore the invention relates to an afterloading apparatus for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject using an endorectal probe device according to the invention. Moreover the invention relates to a method for effecting radiation treatment of colorectal cancerous tissue in the rectum of a human or animal subject, wherein the method implements the endorectal probe device according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention is in the field of molecular diagnosis of medical diseases and their treatment. More in particular, it provides methods and means for detecting hypertension, more in particular essential primary hypertension, even more in particular NOX5-dependent hypertension. The invention also provides methods for the treatment of hypertension, in particular essential primary hypertension, more in particular NOX5-dependent hypertension. The invention also provides theragnostics, wherein therapy is combined with diagnosis, more in particular wherein the level of NOX5 is determined in a sample from a subject and wherein the subject is treated with NOX5 inhibitors or compounds that decrease the levels of NOX5 if the NOX5 levels are above a certain threshold value.

Abstract: A sample may be inspected by making particles traverse the sample. The particles that have traversed the sample hit a detector one-by-one. In response thereto, the detector provides a sequence of respective detection outputs. The sequence of respective detection outputs is processed so as to identify respective locations where respective incident particles have hit the detector. An image is generated on the basis of the respective locations that have been identified. In order to determine a location where an incident particle has hit the detector, an evaluation is made with regard to pre-established respective associations between, on the one hand, respective locations where incident particles have hit the detector and, on the other hand, respective detection outputs.

Abstract: The present invention, in some aspects, relates to systems and methods for determining oxidized proteins, including glutathionylated proteins such as S-glutathionylated proteins. The systems and methods of the invention can be used in vitro (e.g., in cell or tissue culture) or in vivo, for example, to diagnose a person having an oxidative stress condition. For instance, in some cases, the invention can be used to spatially determine the location and/or concentration of oxidized proteins within cells and/or tissues (e.g., through visual detection). In one set of embodiments, a glutathionylated or otherwise oxidized moiety on a protein may be reacted with a detection entity, which may be, for example, fluorescent, radioactive, electron-dense, able to bind to a signaling entity or a binding partner in order to produce a signal, etc.

Abstract: The invention also relates to a MRI apparatus for obtaining images of a target volume of a human and/or animal subject using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), said MRI apparatus at least comprising: a housing defining a target area for accommodating said human and/or animal subject; at least one main magnet unit and at least one magnetic gradient unit for applying—during use—one or more magnetic field gradients along three independent orthogonal spatial axes in said target area, as well as at least one radiofrequency (RF) pulse generation unit for applying one or more sets of RF pulses towards said target area; a RF receiving unit for acquiring MRI signals possibly having multi-channel spatially sensitive characteristics; and a computer processing unit for processing said acquired MRI signals and for producing said magnetic resonance image data.

Abstract: This disclosure is in the field of molecular biology and medical diagnosis and provides means and methods for determining the prognosis and disease outcome of a subject having a melanoma. More in particular, this disclosure provides a method for determining whether a subject having a melanoma has a poor prognosis, the method comprising the step of determining in a sample from the subject whether the LY75 promoter is methylated and if the LY75 promoter is methylated, classifying the subject as having a poor prognosis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assessing atrial fibrillation in a subject, said method comprising the steps of determining the amount of SPON-1 in a sample from the subject, and comparing the amount of SPON-1 to a reference amount, whereby atrial fibrillation is to be assessed. Moreover, the present invention relates to methods for the prediction of stroke based on the amount of SPON-1.

Abstract: A method of processing of electrocardiogram includes the steps of providing an electrocardiogram comprising signals in at least two channels; selecting at least two frequency ranges of the signal in each of the said at least two channels; calculating an envelope for the signal in each frequency range in each channel; dividing the calculated envelope of the signal in each frequency range in each channel into QRS complex segment envelopes; and computing an average or median envelope as an average or mean of QRS complex segment envelopes for each frequency range in each channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to stents, in particular to a stent for insertion in a vein of a human or animal body. The invention also relates to a catheter stent insertion device for inserting a stent according to the invention in a vein of a human or animal body. The invention also relates to a method for inserting a stent according to the invention in a vein of a human or animal body using a catheter stent insertion device according to the invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to in situ tissue engineering, more specifically in situ vascular tissue engineering with the aim of providing a tissue structure which can be used e.g. as a substitute blood vessel or as a blood vessel functioning as cannulation site in hemodialysis. In particular, the disclosure involves tissue structure formation around a subcutaneously implanted synthetic rod. In addition, the disclosure involves a method for producing said synthetic rod.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dietary fiber compositions that can provide an increased level of acetate in the distal colon. Increase levels of acetate (or other short chain fatty acids; SCFA's) in the distal part of the colon is believed to be beneficial in the treatment of various diseases or conditions, such as being overweight or obese. To accomplish this using dietary intervention, which is clearly the preferred (first-line) option for the treatment and/or prevention of obesity (and related disorders), has been a challenge. It was now surprisingly found that combinations of an inulin-type fructan and resistant starch can be orally consumed to substantially increase the level of acetate in the distal part of the colon in human subjects.

Abstract: A sample may be inspected by making particles traverse the sample. The particles that have traversed the sample hit a detector one-by-one. In response thereto, the detector provides a sequence of respective detection outputs. The sequence of respective detection outputs is processed so as to identify respective locations where respective incident particles have hit the detector. An image is generated on the basis of the respective locations that have been identified. In order to determine a location where an incident particle has hit the detector, an evaluation is made with regard to pre-established respective associations between, on the one hand, respective locations where incident particles have hit the detector and, on the other hand, respective detection outputs.

Abstract: The present invention is in the field of medicine and provides means and methods for the treatment, prevention or amelioration of osteoarthritis. More in particular, it provides a peptide for use in the treatment, amelioration or prevention of osteoarthritis, wherein the peptide is between 12 and 28 amino acids in length and comprises an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 16 or a variant thereof according to formula 2, wherein the amino acid sequence of said peptide is comprised in SEQ ID NO: 34 or a variant thereof according to formula 1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to dietary fiber compositions that can provide an increased level of acetate in the distal colon. Increase levels of acetate (or other short chain fatty acids; SCFA's) in the distal part of the colon is believed to be beneficial in the treatment of various diseases or conditions, such as being overweight or obese. To accomplish this using dietary intervention, which is clearly the preferred (first-line) option for the treatment and/or prevention of obesity (and related disorders), has been a challenge. It was now surprisingly found that combinations of an inulin-type fructan and resistant starch can be orally consumed to substantially increase the level of acetate in the distal part of the colon in human subjects.

Abstract: An implant, such as a cranial implant, for attachment to a defect in a bone structure having an edge is described. The implant comprises a direction of extension and a rim extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of extension of the implant. The rim is configured to be attached to the edge of the bone structure and comprises at least one mounting portion configured to accommodate a fastener such that at least a portion of the fastener is extendible in a direction extending away from the rim at an angle which is at most acute with respect to the direction of extension of the implant. The implant is configured such that upon placing the implant in the defect, the fastener is extendible into the edge of the bone defect in a controllable manner.