Achieving economic and environmental viability of hydrogen production through water splitting especially using energy derived from green and sustainable sources is the hallmark of the hydrogen economy. In this invention non-precious metal containing catalysts replacing platinum group metal-based ones are introduced which is key to enable cost-effective water splitting and affordable fuel cells.

The formation and onset of the prevalent form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML, FAB subtype M2) requires RUNX1/ETO, the product of the t(8;21) chromosomal translocation. Tetramerization through the nervy homology region 2 (NHR2) of ETO is essential for the RUNX1/ETO-mediated transformation. The inventors demonstrated that inhibition of NHR2 tetramerization by first-in-class small molecules is a viable entry point for the treatment of AML. Drug candidates have been identified by a small-molecule in silico screening and have been validated in cellular assays. Several compounds proved to be successful in
inhibiting NHR2 tetramerization. Preferred compound 7.44 was able to slow tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model (SKNO 1 xenograft). The pending patent application covers claims directed to a variety of chemotypes that proved activity against AML.

The present invention provides a novel susceptibility gene for hereditary cancers. RAD51C, which encodes for a protein involved in DNA repair, has been found to be mutated in families with breast and ovarian cancer, but not in healthy control subjects. In addition, the patients were all selected from pedigrees negative for mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 to particularly identify genetic mutations causing a cancer predisposition independently of already known determinants. All analyzed mutations were identified as mono-allelic germline mutations. Besides gynecological cancers, mutations of RAD51C were also detected in patients suffering from head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSSC). Thus, the presence of mutations in RAD51C is associated with an increased predisposition of developing cancer and positions RAD51C as a high-risk cancer susceptibility gene. Furthermore, an abnormal RAD51C gene status correlates with an increased probability for response to a DNA-damaging therapeutic agent and therefore represents an ideal companion diagnostic.

This invention enables an easy and economical way for the stratification of patients (e.g. for treatment with tyrosine-kinase-inhibitors) with a state-of-the-art sensitivity, which might be even be more sensitive than mutation detection by next-generation-sequencing technologies. In addition this detection technology is based on the established and worldwide accessible RT-PCR-platform. It can even be used – in combination with suitable enrichment strategies – for the non-invasive analysis of CTCs or free DNA from plasma/serum samples to facilitate continuous monitoring of treatment response.
Currently, the inventors are establishing strategies for detecting a panel of the most common oncogenic mutations with similar impressive sensitivities.

Hepatic failure is a terminal picture of many liver diseases such as hepatic steatosis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and is treated by liver transplantation, but a lack of donor organs is a worldwide problem. Thus, there is a demand for a means for safe and rapid liver regeneration for small grafts. One possibility would be the generation of a patient’s own liver tissue using isolated stem cells. The inventors found that mesenchymal stem cells can reprogrammed into hepatocytes by treatment with bile acids. Already after 7 days of treatment in serum-free medium, the resulting cell population showed markers characteristic for hepatic differentiation like albumin expression. Bile acids exert their function via the farnesoid X receptor and the G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (TGR5). Cells obtained by the protocol may be used in a tissue replacement therapy.

In general, injured peripheral nervous tissue possesses the capacity to regenerate severed axons and therefore the ability for repair. Mechanisms of so-called neuroregeneration may include generation of new glia, extension of axons, re-myelination or restoration of functional synapses. However, the ability for neuroregeneration differs strongly between the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system (CNS). However, although injured axons of the peripheral nervous system show generally greater potential for intrinsic axonal regrowth, functional regeneration is often limited, mainly due to a decline in neurotrophic support from Schwann cells over time and axonal misguidance.
These aspects become particularly evident in cases of long distance regeneration, for example after sciatic nerve injury in legs or median nerve damage in arms. Therefore, the development of novel therapeutic measures aiming to accelerate axon regenera-tion and thereby improving functional recovery is highly desirable. It was found by the inventors of the present invention that the natural product parthenolide and its derivatives facilitate the axonal growth and guidance of injured peripheral nerves in cell culture and most significantly also in vivo. The inventors demonstrate that the intraneural injection of parthenolide at the regenerating nerve results in an improved functional motor recovery as well as in an improved sensory functional recovery.

The analysis of the mRNA content of a cell or a tissue via sequencing provides a method for functional analysis. In common protocols, prior to the sequencing procedure itself the mRNA has to be reverse transcribed into cDNA, followed by random shearing into cDNA fragments, linker ligation, and amplification via PCR. The library of PCR amplicons can then be sequenced by various methods of next generation sequencing (NGS). In many protocols, the primers used for the reverse transcription (RT) or ligation have to be removed before sequencing. Typically, this is achieved by performing a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, which suffers from poor quantitative yield and poor discrimination between molecules of similar size. Additionally, PCR amplification can lead to biased quantification of rare mRNA species. The present invention allows overcoming these problems by using a new protocol, which consists of the following steps:
1) RT of mRNA into cDNA in presence of dUTP
2) RNA digestion and 3’ end blocking of RT primer with ddTTP
3) Enzymatic cleavage at positions of dUTP incorporation
4) cDNA circularization
5) NGS

The development of new drugs in oncology has shifted from unspecific cytotoxic drugs to highly specific substances with known targets and modes of action. A prominent group of these target specific cancer drugs are the kinase inhibitors. The invented substances are inhibitors of the kinase AKT which is involved in several pathways regulating cell functions in cancer, e.g. survival and proliferation.

The particular novelty of the invented compounds is based on their combined covalent-allosteric binding mode. These are first-in-class modulators of AKT with a novel mode of inhibition. Covalent-allosteric inhibitors show extended drug-target residence times.
AKT is a serine/threonine kinase and oncogene that has already been identified and addressed as a target in cancer therapy by several pharma companies. The invented substances are of high interest for any pharma company with an oncology pipeline and are of special advantage for those who seek to improve, broaden or supplement their kinase inhibitor portfolio.

Chronic viral infections are characterized by a reduced responsiveness of T lymphocytes; a process also termed T cell exhaustion. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) has been shown to be critically involved in this exhaustion process. Consequently, our invention suggests the use of anti-TNFalpha strategies, i.e. either blockade of the TNF-receptor (TNFR) binding side or its enzymatic activity by existing drugs (e.g. Infliximab, Etanercept) for the general treatment of persisting viral infections with the aim to restore T cell function. Proof for the success of this approach has been delivered by the LCMV mouse model and the treatment of HIV patients, and is in addition supported by results from studies in systems biology. There is still an unmet need for improved treatment strategies for patients suffering from persisting viral infection. As mentioned above, the effectiveness of an anti-TNF-alpha strategy has been demonstrated on the example of the LCMV model and HIV patients. It is most likely that this new therapeutic approach also applies to the broad market of persisting viral infections in general, including herpes and Hepatitis.

Since the pioneer work published by Takahashi & Yamanaka, the technique of reprogramming cells from a differentiated to an embryonic-like status has experienced an exploding development in regard to both techniques and applications. The most obvious application is the use in tissue regeneration. However, two key obstacles need to be overcome for clinical realization, i.e. risk of reprogrammed cells to develop neoplasiae as well as cumbersome and costly cell culture procedures. Therefore, it is imperative to develop cost-efficient methods with a lower the risk of cancer. The present invention has solved this problem by using a modification of the originally described method. Here, the transcription factors Sox2, cMyc and Klf4 are exogenously and stably expressed, whereas Oct4 is introduced with an exogenous transient expression system. This method is qualified to produce autologous neural stem cells that proliferate indefinitely and are able to re-differentiate into functional neural cells. The technology therefore applies to the tissue regeneration of neural tissue and disease modelling, especially in the central nervous system.

The present invention comprises a buffer memory for combined cycle (CC) power plants, which mitigates the effect of accelerated startup and shutdown of the gas turbine on the heat recovery steam generator. Hence, CC Power Plants are enabled to exploit the full potential of their gas turbines in the growing balancing power market without having to accept increased degradation of the waste heat boiler

Using off-the-shelf smart devices, the new system supports an unobtrusive, flexible and lightweight communication channel between screens (of TVs, laptops,…

According to the invention the approach of an easy risk assessment of patients with diagnosed cardiac insufficiency is based on the measurement of concentration of a pro-tein in whole blood called MD-2 by using the ELISA-technology. ELISA (Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay) is a common and standardized immunological assay for the detection of specific molecules in body liq-uids. It is well known that for cardiac degen-eration the activation of toll-like receptor-4 (TLR 4) is important. TLR 4 and MD-2 then form a receptor complex.
By the additional use of MD-2 biomarker to the “gold-standard” biomarker BNP for risk stratification of cardiac insufficiency, an in-crease of sensitivity and specificity regarding to the long-term survival can be realized. The used biomarker for this assay, is a MD-2 protein (also called LY96) which relates to the group of so-called “Immune response receptors”.

Scientists from Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main have identified serum biomarkers that differentiate patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from those with liver cirrhosis. The identified sphingolipid metabolites C16-ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) provide an extraordinary high diagnostic accuracy (AUC value > 0.98). Current HCC tests measure levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) which show a significantly lower diagnostic performance.

Researchers from Goethe University and the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt have developed new functionalized nanomembranes as smart transmission electron microscopy support films. These nanomembranes facilitate and accelerate structure analysis by enabling in situ separation/ isolation of tagged biomolecules from raw mixtures.

Scientists from Goethe University Frankfurt am Main synthesized the isolable ion-like silylium compound tBu3Si-F-Al(OC(CF3)3)3. The compound represents one of the strongest Lewis acids and acts as supersilylium cation source in solution. Additionally, it exhibits improved solid-state stability in comparison to similar compounds.

A new method for biological hydrogen storage uses parts of the natural metabolism of acetic acid bacteria to convert hydrogen and carbon dioxide into formic acid. Additionally, the newly developed technology can be used to remove toxic carbon monoxide from hydrogen containing gas mixtures (e.g. synthesis gas) and to convert it to carbon dioxide, and consequently into formic acid.

It is the task of the following invention to indicate a method for the construction of a class of one way-functions. One-way functions are fundamental tools for cryptography, personal identification, authentication, universal hashing and other data security applications (i.e. the password-problem). Beside the use for authentication, the implementation of one-way functions in conditional access systems and payment systems is possible. For Internet applications the one-way functions can be used for generate session-IDs.

The DMIR system is both a process and a device for recording the tire state as forces, inflation and others, especially for pneumatic radial tires. During the process, the current rolling condition of the tire is measured and compared with condition data records that were prepared with a number of preliminary calculations, measurements, and/or test results and then saved in a database. This process is suitable for the determination of interior tire pressure, wheel speed, normal and tangential forces, tire stability, state of wear, and the friction coefficients and will support interior pressure and vehicle stability control systems.

Precise knowledge about the thermo-dynamical processes is crucial in combustion engineering and process engineering. With this new method it is possible to calculate the caloric quantities of state accurately, resulting in precise knowledge of process efficiency. A better assessment of the efficiency of combustion processes, resulting in a better prediction of the performance of turbines or engines.