Abstract: The present invention is related to agents capable of binding to and inhibiting or antagonizing the action of IL-11 and/or or IL-11RA for the treatment and/or prevention of abnormal uterine bleeding, which comprises heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged bleeding, altered bleeding pattern, dysmenorrhea, as well as of the underlying diseases leiomyoma and endometriosis and the use of the agent to inhibit menstruation. Furthermore, the invention provides novel IL-11 antibodies.

Abstract: A fiber plug facilitates optical coupling of a light-guiding fiber to a plug receptacle and includes a plug housing for receiving and locking parts of the fiber plug in position relative to one another. The plug housing has: a fiber inlet and a fiber bearing for the spatially fixed reception of the fiber; optically downstream of the fiber bearing along a beam path, an optical lens for collecting light exiting at an end face of the light-guiding fiber and for collimating the collected light; and a coupling surface with an output of the beam path and with a coupling structure for connection to a receptacle structure that is complementary to the coupling structure. An adjustable optical element is arranged optically downstream of the fiber bearing in the beam path and has a first component of a magnetic coupling consisting of two components and a first component of a kinematic coupling.

Abstract: A system for quantifying the presence of at least one chemical and/or a physical condition in ocular tissues is provided. The system uses a membrane having at least one photo-reactive chemical- and/or physical condition-sensing indicator dye and a photo-reactive reference dye wherein both the photo-reactive chemical- and/or physical condition-sensing indicator dye and the photo-reactive reference dye are responsive to the same wavelength of an excitation light source but emit different wavelengths of light in a light spectrum. An optical data detector receives the emitted light and a processor splits the data into two or more colours of the light spectrum and measures the intensity of the two or more colours.

Abstract: Methods and a device are provided for conditioning, in particular smoothing, a data carrier constructed as a card-like and multi-layer laminate, in particular an RFID or NFC ticket, for a subsequent application of data, in particular by printing thereon. A simultaneous heating of the data carrier and application of pressure to a first main surface of the card-like data carrier takes place while the second main surface opposite the first main surface is in contact with an at least substantially flat support surface, to cause a reduction or elimination of a curvature of the data carrier which may have existed previously.

Abstract: A fiber plug facilitates optical coupling of a light-guiding fiber to a plug receptacle and includes a plug housing for receiving and locking parts of the fiber plug in position relative to one another. The plug housing has: a fiber inlet and a fiber bearing for the spatially fixed reception of the fiber; optically downstream of the fiber bearing along a beam path, an optical lens for collecting light exiting at an end face of the light-guiding fiber and for collimating the collected light; and a coupling surface with an output of the beam path and with a coupling structure for connection to a receptacle structure that is complementary to the coupling structure. An adjustable optical element is arranged optically downstream of the fiber bearing in the beam path and has a first component of a magnetic coupling consisting of two components and a first component of a kinematic coupling.

Abstract: A system for quantifying the presence of at least one chemical and/or a physical condition in ocular tissues is provided. The system uses a membrane having at least one photo-reactive chemical- and/or physical condition-sensing indicator dye and a photo-reactive reference dye wherein both the photo-reactive chemical- and/or physical condition-sensing indicator dye and the photo-reactive reference dye are responsive to the same wavelength of an excitation light source but emit different wavelengths of light in a light spectrum. An optical data detector receives the emitted light and a processor splits the data into two or more colours of the light spectrum and measures the intensity of the two or more colours.

Abstract: Methods and a device are provided for conditioning, in particular smoothing, a data carrier constructed as a card-like and multi-layer laminate, in particular an RFID or NFC ticket, for a subsequent application of data, in particular by printing thereon. A simultaneous heating of the data carrier and application of pressure to a first main surface of the card-like data carrier takes place while the second main surface opposite the first main surface is in contact with an at least substantially flat support surface, to cause a reduction or elimination of a curvature of the data carrier which may have existed previously.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for multispot scanning microscopy, having a multicolor light source for providing at least one illumination light beam, having a splitting device for splitting the illumination light beam into a plurality of illumination sub-beams, having first optical means for providing an illumination optical path for guiding and focusing the individual illumination sub-beams respectively into a light spot on or in a specimen to be examined, having a scan unit for guiding the light spots over the probe, having a detection unit for detecting detection light emitted by the specimen in detection sub-beams after irradiation with the individual illumination sub-beams, having second optical means for providing a detection optical path for guiding the detection sub-beams to the detector unit, having a control and evaluation unit for controlling the scan unit and for evaluating the detection light detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actuating an acousto-optical component for manipulating light passing therethrough, in particular for manipulating the illumination and/or detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a laser scanning microscope, where the illumination and/or detection wavelength is adjusted by means of at least one frequency generator connected to the acousto-optical component and controlling the manipulation, the frequency generator generates a signal which generates a spectral spread for the intensity distribution of the wavelength of the illumination and/or detection light for ensuring a temperature-independent manipulation. Actuation is effected by two or more actuation signals in such a way that two or more overlapping and/or superposing main lobes of the transfer function of the acousto-optical component or main maxima are generated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actuating an acousto-optical component for manipulating light passing therethrough, in particular for manipulating the illumination and/or detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a laser scanning microscope, where the illumination and/or detection wavelength is adjusted by means of at least one frequency generator connected to the acousto-optical component and controlling the manipulation, the frequency generator generates a signal which generates a spectral spread for the intensity distribution of the wavelength of the illumination and/or detection light for ensuring a temperature-independent manipulation. Actuation is effected by two or more actuation signals in such a way that two or more overlapping and/or superposing main lobes of the transfer function of the acousto-optical component or main maxima are generated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for multispot scanning microscopy, having a multicolour light source for providing at least one illumination light beam, having a splitting device for splitting the illumination light beam into a plurality of illumination sub-beams, having first optical means for providing an illumination optical path for guiding and focussing the individual illumination sub-beams respectively into a light spot on or in a specimen to be examined, having a scan unit for guiding the light spots over the probe, having a detection unit for detecting detection light emitted by the specimen in detection sub-beams after irradiation with the individual illumination sub-beams, having second optical means for providing a detection optical path for guiding the detection sub-beams to the detector unit, having a control and evaluation unit for controlling the scan unit and for evaluating the detection light detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: Optical switch for adjustable deflection of a light beam from the direction of an input point in the direction of one of several output points. The optical switch includes a switching mirror sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature fluctuations. Also included is a rotatable capturing mirror, two beam splitters, and two spatially-resolving detectors. Both mirrors can be rotated around respective axes. A front beam splitter for the partial coupling of the light beam at the front detector that is optically positioned between the capturing mirror and the switching mirror, while the back beam splitter for the partial decoupling of the light beam at the back detector is arranged optically between the switching mirror and each of the output positions. A control unit is adapted to control the drive of the switching mirror on the basis of a signal from the back detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to an enclosure for parts of a low-temperature air separation system. The side walls extending perpendicular to the base surface of the enclosure are each lined with a sheet metal jacket consisting of several panels (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b). The joints of the panels (1a, 1b, 2a, 2b) of a side wall all have the same distance from one another.

Abstract: Optical switch for adjustable deflection of a light beam from the direction of an input point in the direction of one of several output points. The optical switch includes a switching mirror sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, such as temperature fluctuations. Also included is a rotatable capturing mirror, two beam splitters, and two spatially-resolving detectors. Both mirrors can be rotated around respective axes. A front beam splitter for the partial coupling of the light beam at the front detector that is optically positioned between the capturing minor and the switching mirror, while the back beam splitter for the partial decoupling of the light beam at the back detector is arranged optically between the switching mirror and each of the output positions. A control unit is adapted to control the drive of the switching mirror on the basis of a signal from the back detector.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope has an illumination beam path and a detection beam path. A beamsplitter is provided which reflects the illumination light in direction of the sample and transmits the detection light in direction of the detection arrangement. An additional beamsplitter is provided for reflecting the illumination light and for transmitting the detection light, this additional beamsplitter being arranged in the illumination beam path downstream of the first beamsplitter in the illumination direction, and this additional beamsplitter substantially transmits the illumination light reflected at the first beamsplitter and the detection light, but acquires a wavelength range substantially different from the first beamsplitter with respect to its reflectivity.

Abstract: The invention makes it possible to adjust the light intensity of a laser scanning microscope laser beam in an economical manner and with high accuracy. A separate acousto-optic component can be omitted in that a light modulation section such as an electroabsorption modulator (EAM) or a semiconductor amplifier (SOA) is arranged directly at the laser diode, advisably at one of its front sides. It is nevertheless possible to control the light intensity economically and with high accuracy because the important parameters of the laser beam remain unchanged when the optical output power is changed by the light modulation section. The light modulation section is preferably formed integral with the laser diode in at least one material layer.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope has an illumination beam path and a detection beam path. A beamsplitter is provided which reflects the illumination light in direction of the sample and transmits the detection light in direction of the detection arrangement. An additional beamsplitter is provided for reflecting the illumination light and for transmitting the detection light, this additional beamsplitter being arranged in the illumination beam path downstream of the first beamsplitter in the illumination direction, and this additional beamsplitter substantially transmits the illumination light reflected at the first beamsplitter and the detection light, but acquires a wavelength range substantially different from the first beamsplitter with respect to its reflectivity.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope (LSM) having variable light intensity and a control method for the same. The light intensity of a laser beam in an LSM has been controlled to date with high accuracy, but also high costs by means of an acousto-optic component (AOM, AOTF). According to the invention, such a component for beam modulation is to be omitted, without reducing the exposure accuracy of the sample. In an LSM, a directly modulated laser diode (10) is used with an electric control (12) for direct modulation. Said laser diode (10) has a turn-on delay of the light intensity that is dependent on the amount of the control variable when subjected to an electric control variable. The control (12) is designed such that the fluctuation width (??tV) of the occurring turn-on delay (?tV) is smaller than 1 ?s, particularly smaller than 0.5 ?s. Thus highly exact modulation without an acousto-optic component is possible.

Abstract: A confocal laser microscope has at least one laser whose illumination light is transmitted in direction of the microscope objective by at least one light-conducting fiber. The light-conducting fiber can be plugged in at a housing which preferably comprises the scanning head of the microscope, and a holder is provided which can be plugged into the housing and into which the light-conducting fiber projects and which is provided at its end remote of the fiber with first optics for transmitting the laser light exiting divergently from the fiber in direction of at least partially displaceable collimating optics in the housing. At least second optics are advantageously arranged between the first optics and the collimating optics.

Abstract: A mirror cascade for the adjustment-free bundling of a plurality of light sources to be coupled into the beam path of a laser scanning microscope, comprising a beam combiner housing in which the mirror cascade is located, wherein the beam combiner housing can be either mounted directly on a scanning head of a laser scanning microscope and has a direct optical connection thereto or can be mounted on a microscope housing and has an optical connection thereto or is directly arranged in the scanning head. The invention further relates to a laser scanning microscope with such a mirror cascade.