Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant host cells that expresses one or more genes encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme capable of N-demethylating and/O-demethylating reticuline and/or derivatives thereof, and also methods of producing a N-demethylated and/or O-demethylated reticuline and/or derivatives thereof, comprising cultivating the recombinant host of the invention in a culture medium under conditions in which the one or more genes encoding the cytochrome P450 enzymes is/are expressed. The reticuline and derivatives thereof are useful for providing access to naturally unavailable and chemically difficult-to-produce starting materials for opioids.

Abstract: An actuator for exciting at least one component of a motor vehicle with vibrations. The actuator includes: a housing which is configured to be directly or indirectly connected to the component, an electrical coil which is connected to the housing and is configured to generate an electromagnetic field when an electric current flows through the coil, and a magnet which is entirely or partially arranged in the housing and the magnet is arranged so as to be movable to a limited extent relative to the housing. The housing has, all around, at least one electrically conductive ring which surrounds the magnet in respect of its undeflected state.

Abstract: An actuator for exciting a component of a motor vehicle with vibrations. The actuator has a housing, an electrical coil and a magnet that is movable to a limited extent in the housing.

Abstract: A method for densifying a hygroscopic material is disclosed. The method is for hygroscopic material which may be a natural hygroscopic material or wood—The method comprises the steps of providing the hygroscopic material to be densified; pre-conditioning of the hygroscopic material by adjusting the moisture content of the hygroscopic material to a value within a predefined moisture range, if required; simultaneously heating and pressing the gas-tight packed hygroscopic material under predefined temperature and pressure conditions, whereby the moisture content of the hygroscopic material is kept constant; and obtaining a densified material.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant host cells that expresses one or more genes encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme capable of N-demethylating and/O-demethylating reticuline and/or derivatives thereof, and also methods of producing a N-demethylated and/or O-demethylated reticuline and/or derivatives thereof, comprising cultivating the recombinant host of the invention in a culture medium under conditions in which the one or more genes encoding the cytochrome P450 enzymes is/are expressed. The reticuline and derivatives thereof are useful for providing access to naturally unavailable and chemically difficult-to-produce starting materials for opioids.

Abstract: The invention relates to norcoclaurine synthases and substrate binding sites having one or more site-specific mutation which increase the activity, when compared to the wild type synthase, of the condensation of 4-HPAA and dopamine to (S)-norcoclaurine and/or 3,4-DhPAA and dopamine to (S)-norlaudanosoline. The inventors both identified specific mutations corresponding to at position 73, 75, 77, 82, 99, 114, 141, 142, 147, 152, 174 and/or 178 in the count according to SEQ ID No: 1, and sites corresponding to the binding domains defined in SEQ ID NO: 4 and 5, where the mutated increase of the activity may be positioned within these norcoclaurine synthases. These domains are conserved regions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus evaluates a map for autonomous driving. The method acquires pixel points of lane lines of a road in a static map; acquires pixel points of lane lines of the road in a real-time map; forms first fitted curves of the lane lines in the static map by fitting the acquired pixel points of the lane lines in the static map respectively; forms second fitted curves of the lane lines in the real-time map by fitting the acquired pixel points of the lane lines in the real-time map respectively; calculates fitted-curve-similarities between the first fitted curves and the corresponding second fitted curves; and evaluates the consistency of the static map and the real-time map based on the fitted-curve-similarities.

Abstract: In a method for optimizing a modular system for technical functional units of a process engineering plant, a modular system is provided having components for configuring technical functional units. The modular system can be projected in a simulation environment such that each component can be represented based on its physical properties as a virtual component with corresponding parameters in the simulation environment. Parameters of the virtual components are varied in the simulation environment to determine a modified configuration of at least one technical functional unit using at least one of the virtual components with at least one varied parameter. The operation of the technical functional unit(s) is simulated with the modified configuration. A set of virtual components is determined from the virtual components with varied parameters based on results of the simulation. One or more components of the modular system are adapted based on the determined set of virtual components.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant microorganisms and methods of producing citronellal, citronellol, citronellic acid, and/or citronellal/citronellol pathway intermediates and precursors.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant host cells that expresses one or more genes encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme capable of N-demethylating and/O-demethylating reticuline and/or derivatives thereof, and also methods of producing a N-demethylated and/or O-demethylated reticuline and/or derivatives thereof, comprising cultivating the recombinant host of the invention in a culture medium under conditions in which the one or more genes encoding the cytochrome P450 enzymes is/are expressed. The reticuline and derivatives thereof are useful for providing access to naturally unavailable and chemically difficult-to-produce starting materials for opioids.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant microorganisms and methods of producing citronellal, citronellol, citronellic acid, and/or citronellal/citronellol pathway intermediates and precursors.

Abstract: A distributively controlled operating device system a network with operating devices, and control devices. The operating devices and control devices are connected to the network and are assigned to virtual zones within a building. The operating devices are programmed with a set of scenarios for controlling various physical attributes of the building such as lighting and HVAC. Manual interfaces and multi-sensors are connected to the network and provide zone-tagged inputs to the operating devices. Based on the zone-tagged sensor inputs, the operating device implements one of the programmed scenarios. The virtual zones can be reconfigured by reassigning individual operating devices and control devices to such redefined virtual zones.