Scientists of the University of Muenster succeeded in turning a stress susceptible tobacco variety (Xanthi) into an exceptionally stress-tolerant plant using replacement of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), the rate-limiting step of the oxidative pentose-phos¬phate pathway (OPPP) in the cytosol by a specially suited plastidic isoform.
The G6PDH isoenzyme-replacement technology is a promising tool to improve not only stress tolerance in general, but also biomass production, seed quality and energy density of agronomically important plants.

Skin disinfection procedures in hospitals are still lacking a uniform and standardized handling. Therefore, more swabs and disinfectant are used than needed, resulting in unnecessary waste of material. Scientists at the University of Göttingen, Medical Department developed an easy-to-handle and standardized skin disinfection set.

Staphylococcus aureus is a gram positive bacterium frequently occurring in nature. Over the years a resistant form developed which is known as MRSA – methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA can cause severe problems especially in immune compromised patients. The antibiotic of choice to treat these infections was vancomycin. But since resistance to vancomycin has also been observed as well as the development of multiple resistances the application of the recently used antibiotics is increasingly limited. Novel active substances are provided. Their application will overcome resistance mechanisms based on genetic variability because they show a different mode of action.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Some forms are very aggressive due to their invasive growth and the high frequency of metastases. Treatment is extremely difficult and costly, especially when highly specific antibodies are applied. Two enzymes play a major role in the development of tumors – HER2 and Brk. Enzyme inhibitors developed so far only inhibit HER2. The effectiveness is however limited since resistance has developed due to mutations in HER2. Novel substances are provided which selectively inhibit HER2 and/or Brk. The application of these substances allows addressing three important processes concurrently: the receptor mediated tumor growth, the inhibition of apoptosis, and metastasis.

Carotenoids are widely used, i.e. in the food and cosmetics industries for coloring and as scavengers. They can be extracted from plant material or produced chemically. The trend is to establish biotechnological processes but so far the yields are often too low. The application of a novel process for the cultivation Blakeslea trispora results in high yields of carotenoids.

Subject of this innovation is a silver-free paste for establishing contacts in solar cells with nickel, nickel compounds or titanium instead of silver.
The process involves the local opening of the dielectric layer at moderate temperatures, thereby allowing the nickel particles in the paste to form nickel silicide with the surface of the silicon substrate. The high-energy-step of firing the silver contacts with glass frit can be dispensed with.
Furthermore, it is possible to strengthen the nickel layer with copper or tin to increase the electrical conductivity of the contacts still further.

The invention provides a novel predictive biomarker to help identify the patient population with the most
favorable clinical outcome to angiogenesis-targeted treatment in mCRC patients. Experiments revealed that patients with low pretherapeutic Ang-2 serum levels
receiving a bevacizumab-containing treatment were associated with a better Response rate compared to patients with high pretherapeutic Ang-2 levels. Additionally to a reduced risk of death (>90%) patients with low pretherapeutic Ang-2 levels showed a
significant increase in progression-free survival (up to five months).

Alexander Disease (AxD) is a rare fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is attributed to mutations in glial fubrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Clinically, AxD is considered a type of leukoencephalopathy sometimes characterized by demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS) and the formation of GFAP-containing Rosenthal fibers in astrocytes.

While it has been shown that GFAP mutations cause AxD, the exact pathomechanism is still unknown and there is still no accepted line of treatment.

The present invention provides a new approach for AxD therapy based on the newly indentified role of GFAP in the unconventional secretory pathway (USP).

Raman marker as a novel labeling reagent for the selective detection of biomolecules. Their use provides three key benefits: simultaneous detection of many different target molecules, high sensitivity and quantification of the detected biomolecules

A newly developed kite system allows to alter the line length while kite surfing by around 80% of the line length. This enables new kitesurf scenarios. Due to limited shore space kitesurfer may start with short lines and bring them full length later on the water. Furthermore, while surfing, the line length can be adjusted to wind conditions. After landing, the lines can be drawn in directly avoiding winding in and tangling of leashes.

Scientists from Goethe University of Frankfurt/Main synthesized novel arylborane compounds with extraordinary electronic, chemical, and optical properties. The novel blue fluorescent dyes are well suited for use in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).

The novel class of fluorophores with high quantum efficiencies is built around a pyrazole unit. These compounds exhibit emission maxima at around 380 nm. Additionally to high quantum efficiency and chemical resistance, the molecules provide a polar anchoring group enabling straightforward substrate attachment.

The invention provides the switching of magnetic properties in isolated (magnetically non–interacting) molecules in solution. Switching from the diamagnetic to the paramagnetic state is performed by irradiation with blue‐green light (500 nm), and the conversion back to the diamagnetic form is induced with blue‐violet light (435 nm). The process is fully reversible. No fatigue or degradation is observed after several thousand cycles at room temperature under air. In spite of the extremely high photosensitivity, the thermal conversion of the high energy paramagnetic state to the diamagnetic ground state is very slow (t1/2 at 54°C: 27 hours).
The invention can be used as optical storage media, switchable contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (dynamic MRI) and for contact free manipulation of objects.

A new family of layered titanates containing chemically bound unsaturated amine enables the fixation and immobilization of radioactive iodine-129 and iodine-131 from gaseous products of nuclear fission.

A new family of titanates, niobates and tantalates containing chemically bound functional multivalent polyamines enables surface binding of nucleic acids.

Adhesive microstructure of surfaces: anisotropic attraction generated by isotropic –easy to produce- components.

A great disadvantage in using hydrazine is the problem that hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable, especially in the anhydrous form. The Invention: A new family of hydrazine titanates, called LHT-9 (Layered Hydrazinium Titanate – 9 Å) containing chemically bound hydrazine (hydrazinium ion) intercalated into the interlayer space of the layered titanate dissolving this problem.
The LHT-9 can be used as:
• Carrier substances (chemical containers) containing chemically bound hydrazine and thus allowing to retrieve hydrazine and its compounds, including as possible sources of hydrazine for direct hydrazine fuel cells
• Matrices for carrying out inorganic, organic and bioorganic syntheses. Chemically bound hydrazine is used as active constituent
• Ion-exchange materials
• Reductive sorbents for recovery of noble metals (Rh, Pd, Pt, Au, Ir, Ag) from different industrial solutions
• Reluctant for reduction of U, Pu, Np and Tc in spent nuclear fuel;
• Precursors for preparation of composite nano-materials, including TiO2-Se nano-composites for Hg vapor scavenging.

Agile, driven wrist joint with three rotational degrees of freedom: The invention describes a new kind of driven joint, using a specific arrangement of (bevel) gears and motors, which, in combination with a C-shaped rail allow for an energy efficient and accurate usage while having significantly less difficulties with singularities.

Scientists at the University of Göttingen produced different monoclonal antibodies directed against the rat CD88 cell surface receptor, also known as C5aR. C5aR functions as a receptor for the C5a fragment of the complement factor C5. These antibodies can be used to identify C5aR in tissues or cultured cells.

Scientists at the University of Göttingen developed different monoclonal antibodies directed against the human / rat C3a-receptor. C3aR functions as a receptor for the C3a fragment of the complement factor C3, but also binds C4a. C3a binding to the C3a-receptor causes mast cell degranulation (anaphylatoxin).