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Studies and Analyses

Enhancing Maternity Care for Disadvantaged Women in England

Differences in health outcomes amongst different socioeconomic groups have been demonstrated in many areas and have provided the focus for national initiatives…

Health & Medicine

NAMS Unveils Comprehensive Guidelines for Menopause Care

The special feature, “The North American Menopause Society Recommendations for Clinical Care of Midlife Women,” was published online today in the Society's…

Interdisciplinary Research

Enhancing Urban Design by Addressing Emotional Well-Being

Unsafe bike paths, traffic jam stress, frightening underpasses – modern city dwellers face a number of stressors. According to experts, sustainable urban…

Corporate News

Dynotech Instruments Expands Omicron Laser Distribution in India

The laser specialist Omicron based in Rodgau expands its international distribution network by a further representative in Asia. The distribution company…

Technology Offerings

Determination of the Biological Age – Using DNA-methylation changes for determining the biological age of a human individual

Biological age is influenced by parameters, such as genetic background, disease and lifestyle. Currently, the biological age can be assessed by measuring telomere length, DNA rearrangements or protein alterations. However, these methods lack precision and have practical limitations.
Therefore, scientists of the University Hospital Aachen developed a new method using epigenetic modifications to track human aging.
Based on the analysis of DNA-methylation (DNAm) profiles an Epigenetic-Aging-Signature has been evolved which only requires measurement of DNAm levels at six specific CpG sites. The DNA can be assessed by locus specific pyro-sequencing analysis of bisulfate-converted DNA.

Technology Offerings

BioGasBooster – Verfahren zur Erhöhung der Methanausbeute in Biogasanlagen

Wissenschaftler der Universität Bonn haben ein Verfahren entwickelt, um die Biogasausbeute bestehender Biogasanlagen signifikant und effizient zu steigern, ohne die Dimensionierung des Fermenters zu ändern.
Bedarfsgerecht kann durch Zugabe ethanolhaltiger Stoffe, z.B. aus der alkoholischen Fermentation etc., die Methanausbeute erheblich gesteigert werden. Die Methanproduktion kann dem jeweiligen Bedarf angepasst werden, sodass z.B. Energiebedarfsspitzen ohne Zwischenspeicher bedient werden können.
Die energiefressende Destillation von Ethanol, wie in der Bioethanolproduktion, kann dabei entfallen, da neben Ethanol alle weiteren organischen Materialien zu Biogas umgewandelt werden können. Optional kann auch ein Vorfermenter zur Herstellung von ethanolhaltigem Gärgut aus pflanzlichen Rohstoffen vorgeschaltet werde

Technology Offerings

Immunological tolerance – Induction of immunological tolerance in autoimmune diseases

The present invention provides a novel preventive and therapeutic approach based on the induction of tolerance, which is a key mechanism for the prevention of autoimmunity. The induction of tolerance is achieved through the oral administration of antigen-expressing microorganisms.

In an animal model of multiple sclerosis, the severity and occurrence of the disease symptoms could be significantly reduced by feeding the mice with the safe fodder yeast Candida utilis (Torula yeast) expressing Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Thus, the oral administration of antigen-expressing Candida utilis suppresses the cellular and humoral immune responses taking place in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Furthermore, the described treatment is considered to be safe, effective and simple.

Technology Offerings

Anti CD30 CAR – Anti CD30 CAR + tumor specific antibody improving the selective targeting of CD30+/CD30- tumors

The invention describes a CAR which recognizes CD30 as a target antigen and initiates lysis of CD30+ tumor cells but not of CD30+ healthy cells like hematopoietic stem cells. Specific genetic modifications of the
anti-CD30 CAR ensure the specific targeting of CD30+ tumor cells and prevent unwanted side-effects. This approach has been tested in vitro with CD30+ hematopoietic stem cells and CD30+ tumor cells and in vivo in mice transplanted with human CD30+ hematopoietic stem cells. In vivo experiments
proved that the treatment with anti-CD30 T-cells has no unwanted impact on the endogenous immune system.

Technology Offerings

Apta-Thrombin – Aptamer-complexed thrombin as DTI-antidot

The present invention provides a safe DTI-antidote able to antagonize the anticoagulant functions of various DTI, such as dabigatran, hirudin, bivalirudin and argatroban.
The exosite structures of thrombin are blocked by complex formation between thrombin and a recently developed aptamer (Müller et al. 2007). As this aptamer does not block the active center of thrombin, the aptamer caged thrombin (Apta-thrombin) retains full reactivity towards DTI but looses its procoagulant functions. This is an important prerequisite to avoid unwanted thrombotic site effects of the DTI antidote.
The ability of apta-thrombin to antagonize the anticoagulant functions of various DTI has been demonstrated in plasma-based studies and in a mouse-model. A prothrombotic response was not induced by apta-thrombin as measured by molecular activation markers. This feature renders apta-thrombin a safe DTI antidote.

Life & Chemistry

New Method Detects Mismatched DNA with High Sensitivity

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have identified a highly sensitive means of analyzing very tiny amounts of DNA. The discovery, they say, could increase the…

Life & Chemistry

Cells Tackle Chromosome Confusion in Reproductive Division

Reproductive cell division has evolved a simple, mechanical solution to avoid chromosome sorting errors, researchers report in the Sept. 11 Science Express.

Earth Sciences

NASA's TRMM Satellite Sees Hurricane Odile Strike Baja California

Odile made landfall near Cabo San Lucas at 0445 UTC (12:45 a.m. EDT) and was moving northwest along the length of the peninsula of Baja California, then…

Materials Sciences

'Squid skin' metamaterials project yields vivid color display

The quest to create artificial “squid skin” — camouflaging metamaterials that can “see” colors and automatically blend into the background — is one step…

Life & Chemistry

New Halogenation Enzyme Discovered by Pitt Chemical Biologist

Molecules containing carbon-halogen bonds are produced naturally across all kingdoms of life and constitute a large family of natural products with a broad…

Life & Chemistry

Drug's effect on Alzheimer's may depend on severity of disease

The drug, bexarotene, was found to reduce levels of the neurotoxic protein amyloid-beta in experimental mice with late-stage Alzheimer's but to increase levels…

Life & Chemistry

Water-Saving Plants: Breeding Crops for Drier Conditions

Crops such as potatoes and sugar beets are much less tolerant to dry conditions compared to wild plants. “This is the result of plant breeding aimed at…

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