Technology Offers

Our scientists have identified a conserved defense mechanism covering a new metabolite in tobacco that protects against leafhoppers. They have discovered how to reconstitute it in vitro and engineer the compound in crop plants, demonstrating that it confers resistance to herbivores.

File no.: MI-1012-5677-LI-ZE
(liked to MI-1012-4430-LI-ZE describing the generation of neuro- epithelial stem cells as precursors for microtissue generation)

A robust method for producing and analyzing highly homogenous human neural organoids.

Recently, many efforts have been made to improve growth and yield of crop plants. CO₂ fixation in plants is primarily catalyzed by the enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco). The inherent inefficiency of Rubisco necessitates an additional metabolic process termed photorespiration, which results in the loss of carbon and energy. In fact, it has been estimated that plants lose approximately 25% of the fixed carbon due to photorespiration. Despite several attempts to improve ...

With approximately 600,000 deaths annually colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancer types worldwide. Early cancer and pre-cancer (polyps) detection by colonoscopy over the age of 50 until now is the best strategy for disease control and the chance of the cancer to be curable. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation has been shown to occur already at early stages of tumor development making such differentially methylated regions (DMRs) highly attractive for biomarker development ...

Cancer remains a major health burden and is the second leading cause of death globally (WHO). The microenvironment of cancer cells plays an important role in disease progression. In particular, the composition of the extracellular matrix regulates angiogenesis, cell proliferation, differentiation, cell survival and apoptosis. Dysregulation and accumulation of the extracellular matrix promotes cellular transformation and metastasis leading to cancer progression. A better understanding of the role ...

In contrast to target-based drug discovery, phenotypic screening discloses the effect of a compound on a biological system without revealing its mode of action or its interaction sites. Phenotypic screening has delivered several new valuable drugs, however, the major challenge remains target deconvolution (1). In recent years, “omics” techniques and bioinformatics have brought significant advances to target identification in drug discovery phenotypic screening. However, such analyses can become ...

The study of mechanical properties of materials at high temperatures at the microstructural length scale requires dedicated testing setups. An accurate measurement of the sample temperature is vital for reliable testing. Most of the successful current testing platforms record the temperatures of the sample and tip near the heating sources but not at the respective surface. As a consequence, due to spatial and temporal thermal gradients a reliable surface temperature cannot be measured today. Even ...

In optical microscopy, especially within biological and medical fields, image quality is often degraded by light scattering and aberrations, such as often encountered when investigating partially transparent or scattering materials such as biological tissues. By using a spatial light modulator, one can mitigate these problems, but the challenge lies in determining the particular encountered aberration and calculating the required correction. This is additionally complicated by the microscopy imaging ...

Conventional mechanical zippers find manifold applications for luggage, clothing or even industrial applications. However, their design features significant disadvantages. In particular, they require the use of both hands by the user to align the ends of the garment and lock the insertion pin into the slider. This mechanism can be prone to jamming and failure and more generally requires the user to free his or her hands. The user must further use one or both hands to move the slider along the ...

Prof. Alois Fürstner and co-workers at Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung developed a new class of molybdenum alkylidyne catalysts equipped with tripodal silanolate ligands which mark a significant milestone in the field of alkyne metathesis. Their improved stability, functional group tolerance, and ease of synthesis position them as valuable tools for researchers and industry professionals alike, promising to expand the scope of alkyne metathesis applications ...

Ultrasound is being used in many fields ranging from medical imaging and therapy to non-destructive testing, contact-free particle handling or spatially selective heating in industrial settings. Often, those applications require shaping (including focusing) of an ultrasonic field. Compared to existing transducers with fixed lenses or phased array transducers (PATs) the present invention allows much more sophisticated sound fields to be generated using much simpler and cheaper technology.

The development of the cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Prof. Ernst Bamberg and his colleagues and its application to light-induced modulation of neurons paved the way for the field of optogenetics.
Over time the light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) has become an indispensable tool in neuroscience. Based on the pioneering work on ChR2 new variants have emerged, differing in their spectrum of light absorption, their kinetic ...

To monitor crystallization processes a special camera setup to measure the crystal size and 3D shape distribution was developed.
The setup consists of two high-speed cameras that are positioned orthogonally to one another such that a precise overlap of both fields of view can be achieved. The setup further contains a specially designed flow-through cell that allows to observe the crystal suspension from both camera directions and given the opportunity to temperate the solution within the cell. ...

Die Erfindung betrifft einen Bildleiter, der insbesondere für den Einsatz in einer Umgebung mit radioaktiver Strahlung geeignet ist. In einer solchen Umgebung verringert sich die Transmission des Bildleiters mit der Zeit. Bekannterweise kann die Transmission des Bildleiters durch Erwärmen auf eine Temperatur im Bereich von 100° bis 300° regeneriert werden. Weil dieses Erwärmen bisher in einem Ofen erfolgte, implizierte das Regenerieren des Bildleiters seinen Abbau von seinem Betriebsort, ...

The diterpenoid paclitaxel (taxol) is a chemotherapy medication widely used as a first-line treatment against several types of solid cancers. However, adequate supply has remained a major challenge. Extraction of paclitaxel from natural sources is limited, while the chemical synthesis is complex and economically unfavourable. Currently paclitaxel is mainly produced by microbial fermentation or in plant cell cultures with low overall yields. Ideally, paclitaxel production is reconstructed in a ...

A lightweighted,  long-life, long-range and low-cost Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-based tracking system with monitoring app.

The offered invention relates to a device that reduces free-jet instabilities inherent to high-viscosity extrusion injection, facilitating delivery of protein microcrystals for serial diffraction X-ray crystallography.

CellNetAnalyzer (CNA) is a MATLAB toolbox providing various computational methods for analyzing structure and function of metabolic, signaling, and regulatory networks. For metabolic networks, CNA supports a variety of stoichiometric and constraint-based modeling techniques, including flux balance analysis (FBA), metabolic flux analysis, elementary-modes analysis, or computational strain design (e.g., minimal cut set analysis). Signal transduction and (gene) regulatory networks can be ...

This invention introduces a novel hybrid fusion reactor concept that combines the advantages of tokamaks and stellarators. In tokamaks the magnetic confinement field is generated by toroidal coils and the plasma current driven by a central solenoid coil, while in stellarators the magnetic confinement field is created by a complex magnetic coil system. The proposed design integrates a single type of simple quasi-axisymmetric (QA) coil to introduce 3D shaping effects while maintaining a compact ...

Database of mass spectral and retention index data of metabolomic reference substances for GC/MS profiling studies.

The connector apparatus incorporates a unique design that allows two or more conductor devices to contact directly, ensuring zero-resistance connections under superconducting conditions. This is facilitated by a pivoting pressing clamp mechanism, which when engaged, applies precise contact pressure to overlapping conductor sections housed within a specially designed connector receptacle. This innovative configuration is critical for applications requiring minimal electrical resistance and high ...

Cryogenic fluorescent light microscopy of flash-frozen cells presents significant advantages and provides an important complement to electron cryo-microscopy. In particular, bleaching decreases drastically at low temperature while the fluorescence yield of many fluorophores increases and the spectral bands narrow. The application of modern super-resolution methods such as STED, PALM, STORM, or SIM at cryogenic temperature holds the prospect of imaging fluorescent proteins with high precision in ...

Lock-in thermography (LIT) is a versatile and very sensitive tool to detect local heat sources in electronic components by 2d-images oft he sample. The DECONV program is a tool for converting these lock-in thermography images into local power density images or simulating LIT images by performing mathematical deconvolution or convolution and uses input image data in ASCII table form. Results are exported as ASCII tables or as bmp-files.

This software is a further development of an older ...

This innovative device enables precise deflection of light/microwave beams with automatic beam tracking. Thanks to a specially developed hinge system with an integrated reflector, the beam can be guided reliably and with low loss to the desired target point despite the movement of the beam guide. This is particularly advantageous for applications in high-precision optics, sensor technology and plasma physics. The system is characterized by high stability and durability due to the use of low-wear ...

The invention outlines a novel process for converting synthesis gas (syngas), comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, into higher alcohols (C₃₊), using a combination of Fischer-Tropsch and olefin hydroformylation catalysts. This innovative approach improves selectivity towards valuable terminal alcohols, including higher alcohols that can serve as fatty alcohols (C₆₊). Higher alcohols produced through this method are crucial in industries such as solvents, plasticizers, ...

A novel molecular target of the semaphorin-plexin system to develop treatment options for cancer and for osteoporosis.

The invention relates to a new method to reduce acquisition time in MR imaging. It is based on the variation of the sensitivity profile of the RF coils and allows an easy access to an additional source of spatial information to further improve imaging.
MR imaging is among the most important tools for modern medical diagnostics with a unique range of applications. The imaging duration however limits the applicability for situations with movements within the volume of interest. Therefore, many ...

This invention presents a novel AI-based method for optimizing imaging settings in electron microscopy, specifically targeting autofocus and astigmatism correction. By applying deep learning, the system rapidly estimates and adjusts key imaging parameters in real time, significantly enhancing both image quality and efficiency. Unlike traditional physics-based approaches, this method generalizes well across different microscopes and configurations. It operates using pairs of images with known deviations ...

The invention relates to a new and durable system, which brings the possibility of accurate size measuring and simultaneous counting of airborne particles with an aerodynamic diameter of up to 2.5 microns.

Measuring the particulate matter contamination in a gas in the range of PM_2.5 is advantageous or crucial for various applications. Monitoring the concentration of the corresponding particles, for example in air, reveals information about pollution. The possibility of aerosol ...

A novel green chemistry process to prepare nanocellulose in efficient, safe and sustainable manner based on the use of eutectic, highly concentrated ionic media is offered.

LEL technology stands out for its precision in fabricating 3D metal microarchitectures with intricate geometries and the ability to seamlessly integrate liquids. It utilizes a voxel-by-voxel deposition method, which allows for the creation of complex shapes with submicron resolution. The process involves optimizing variables like deposition voltage, air pressure, and orifice diameter. A significant advantage of LEL is its capacity to alter the pH and composition of the supporting electrolyte solution, ...

The invention relates to a new monolithic Avalanche Photodiode array with a novel inter pixel isolation structure. The technology allows the design of sensitive photodetectors with remarkable spatial resolution at very fast imaging capabilities for various applications.
Although Avalanche Photodiodes are a convenient tool due to their intrinsic amplification, their use in photodetectors with high pixel densities is challenging due to insufficient isolation of the pixels. Hence their use in ...

A double KO, a conditional KO as well as single KO mouse models for FFA2 and FFA3 (free fatty acid receptors 2 and 3), novel targets for diabetes therapies.

Accurate dispensing device for intuitive, spill free use

Nanoporous membranes consist of pores with diameters in the range of nanometers and sub nanometers that can separate liquid or gaseous mixtures.
One of the key applications of nanoporous membranes is in water filtration to remove impurities, such as bacteria, viruses, and salts. Nanoporous membranes are also used in energy-related applications, such as gas separation and fuel cells. The membranes can also be used as electrodes in energy storage devices such as batteries and supercapacitors. ...

The RNA-programmable DNA-endonuclease Cas9 is widely used for genome engineering, where a high degree of specificity is required. Though this is a mechanism well controlled by canonical base-pairing, there is evidence that Cas9 does accept mismatches under certain circumstances.
This might be seen as a threat to precision needed in genome engineering at least in environments where such high precision is ultimately needed and acceptance of mismatches needs to be avoided, e.g.: cellular gene ...

Mutually delay-coupled phase-locked loops (PLLs) enhance network synchronization by leveraging the self-organization dynamics of interconnected nodes each outfitted with controllable oscillators. These systems ensure stable in-phase locking of spatially distributed oscillators in the presence of considerable signaling time-delays and thereby provide precise clocking signals, e.g., essential for high precision localization services. The scalability and robustness of self-organized synchronization ...

A Cas nuclease such as Cas9 can introduce a DNA double strand break in a sequence target that is complementary to a 20-nt spacer sequence of its bound guide RNA (gRNA) when a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) is present. The gRNA can be provided as duplex of spacer containing CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and trans-activating crRNA (tracrRNA). Or as a single gRNA (sgRNA) where crRNA and tracrRNA are fused by an artificial loop.
Hence a gRNA consists of the target-specific spacer and a constant part typically ...

The innovation involves nanofilament-based superhydrophobic coatings designed for membrane distillation (MD), specifically targeting brine desalination and wastewater treatment applications. By coating microporous membranes with polysiloxane nanofilaments, a multi-scale, hierarchical porous structure is achieved, enhancing the membrane's resistance to wetting and fouling without using fluorinated compounds. The membrane's superhydrophobic nature results from nanofilament coatings that ...

A full material Fresnel Zone Plate is a diffractive lens, composed of multilayers of at least two materials to act as the zones of the FZP. Researchers in Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems developed a production method in which alternating layers over focused ion beam (FIB) milled micro pillars are first deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique and then sliced by using the FIB again.

The CRISPR-Cas system is a powerful tool for site-specific genome editing. It allows for the inactivation or substitution of entire genes. However, most hereditary diseases in humans are caused by single point mutations, the correction of which requires only subtle changes to the DNA. Recently, base editors (BEs) were developed that allow the introduction of selective nucleotide substitutions. A Cas9 enzyme is fused to a nucleobase deaminase catalysing C-to-T mutations (by C-to-U deamination) ...

This advanced scanning luminescence light microscope enables spatial, high-resolution imaging of luminescence-labeled structures. Utilizing innovative periodic patterns created by crossed line gratings of luminescence inhibition and excitation light, the microscope surpasses traditional diffraction limits. These patterns precisely confine the luminescent marker's activation and emission regions, delivering imaging clarity. The device is ideal for applications requiring nanoscale resolution, ...

The Differential Temperature Anemometry (DTA) is a cutting-edge technique that enhances the temporal resolution of flow velocity measurements in thermal anemometry. By leveraging the in-stantaneous temperature gradient of the sensor, DTA provides rapid and continuous data without the need for thermal equilibrium. This innovation represents a significant leap forward, offering high-speed, accurate flow detection for dynamic applications.

The invention relates to a new and easy to use device for real-time monitoring of the thermal power of a nuclear reactor. It is based on the easy to access ¹⁶N decay rate in the cooling water. The robust and easy to implement method significantly improves the safety of nuclear facilities.

Nuclear reactors require high standards of safety and detailed information about changes are needed in order to control them in a safe manner. Besides detailed real-time simulations, direct ...

Robots need detailed haptic sensing that covers their complex surfaces to learn effective behaviors in unstructured environments. However, state-of-the-art sensors tend to focus on improving precision and sensitivity, increasing texel density, or enlarging the sensed area rather than prioritizing system robustness and the usability of the sensed haptic information.

Screening the level of specific blumenols in plant leaves allows simple implementation in marker assisted breeding and high-throughput analysis.

The efficiency of solar cells is strongly affected by local inhomogeneities. Especially inhomogeneities of the dark-current voltage (I-V) characteristic are of interest: The local dark current-voltage characteristic is a measure for the local recombination properties of the solar cell. Lock-in thermography performed in the dark (DLIT) can be used to detect and evaluate locally increased dark current densities.

The invention relates to a new method of using magnetic forces in order to mechanically couple the worm of a worm gear with its corresponding worm wheel. According to the invented arrangement, a (permanent) magnet, i.e., a relatively hard magnetic material, magnetizes the worm, which is made from a relatively soft magnetic material. Thus, the magnetized worm develops attraction forces concerning the (also magnetically soft) tooth system of the worm wheel. In this way, it is sufficient to use comparably ...

The invention relates to a monolithic optical frequency comb generator. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of generating an optical frequency comb.

This invention presents a method and apparatus for investigating the hydrogen permeability of materials, offering a simplified and cost-effective solution to test the tightness of a material. A sensor is placed on one side of the test object, while a hydrogen-containing test gas is applied to the opposite side. The hydrogen permeating through the material interacts with a sensitive sensor layer, causing measurable physical changes such as color shifts. These changes provide real-time, spatially ...

An improved method to perform cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) assays or other fluorescent assays in the context of CFPS with very low reaction mix volumes. Various additional advantages allow to significantly reduce costs and time.

Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM) today is revolutionizing biological research by revealing the structure of cells and proteins with atomic resolution and steadily improving contrast. However, the quality of the results depends critically on the sample preparation. High Pressure Freezing (HPF) and plunge freezing, both pioneered in the 1960s, still represent the state-of-the-art in sample preparation for cryo-EM. Both methods have poor timing precision, disrupt the natural environment of the ...

This invention presents a modular and scalable system for low light level detection using hybrid silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) base cells. Each base cell comprises three vertically stacked layers: a detector (e.g., single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD)), a first-level read-out (e.g., complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)), and a second-level back-end interface (BE). These base cells are interconnected laterally to form large-area detector arrays, which can reach sizes up to square meters. ...

A novel tool to detect and quantify NETs using a molecular feature of NET formation that has never been proposed as a marker for NETs before

A novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) method accelerates imaging by using localized, time-varying magnetic fields to enhance spatial encoding. This approach involves small coils placed around the imaging object, generating oscillating magnetic fields with adjustable frequencies and phases. These modulations provide additional spatial information, enabling faster image acquisition while maintaining high resolution and signal quality. The method integrates with parallel imaging techniques, reducing ...

An efficient system to monitor and control animal behavior in wildlife as well as in laboratory settings

Simultaneous sensing of oxygen content and temperature within a living object is crucial to monitor its biochemical reactions and to evaluate its health condition. Non-invasive sensors used for this purpose feature optical read-out. These sensors detect changes in phosphorescence (decay time or emission intensity) of a phosphorescent compound and the delayed fluorescence intensity of a fluorescent compound induced by an increase of temperature and/or oxygen. Unfortunately, the temperature and ...

The invention relates to a new concept for a high efficiency light antenna, namely the Truncated Omnidirectional Reflector (TOR). It is well suited for obtaining directional emission and efficient fiber coupling from various types of light sources like single photon emitters.
Especially in the fast-growing field of quantum technologies efficient collectors for solid-state single photon emitters are needed. Achieving collector efficiencies of more than 95% into the fundamental Gaussian mode, ...

A promising target to develop treatment options for osteoporosis and other disease conditions associated with bone loss

We present an extremely sensitive, reliable and fast novel Lysine deacetylase (KDAC) assay, which can be performed in a continuous format. This novel KDAC assay is based on Firefly luciferase harboring an acetylation on an essential active site lysine, incorporated by genetic code expansion.

We furthermore offer a bacterial selection system that can help engineer KDACs. The selection system uses a reporter enzyme inactivated by lysine modifications at an essential active site residue, thereby ...

This invention introduces a non-collinear spin valve (NC-SV) architecture capable of storing and reading arbitrary angles between magnetization vectors of two ferromagnetic layers. Unlike conventional spin valves that exhibit binary resistance states corresponding to parallel or antiparallel magnetization alignments, the NC-SV enables multiple stable configurations, allowing for analog or multi-level operation. By utilizing layers with different magnetic anisotropies and a temperature-dependent ...

HR-defective cancers are a class of malignancies characterized by impaired DNA repair mechanisms, typically resulting from mutations or deficiencies in genes involved in the Homologous Recombination (HR) pathway, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These cancers pose significant challenges in treatment due to their inherent resistance to standard therapies.

Poly ADP-ribose Polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors represent a promising targeted therapy class designed to exploit ...

To realize a circular, carbon-neutral economy, it will become important to utilize the greenhouse gas CO2 as a sustainable carbon source. One-carbon (C1) substrates, such as methanol or formate, are attractive feedstocks for bioeconomy due to their low cost and easy availability. These substrates are typically converted into formaldehyde, serving as the entry point into metabolism. Biocatalytic carbon-carbon bond formation is one of the most important reactions for green and sustainable C1 assimilation ...

Plant pathogenic fungi, oomycetes and bacteria have highly diverse lifestyles, infection strategies and morphologies. Therefore, pesticides frequently target basic cellular processes, as these are well characterized and often very similar among plant pathogens. Many pesticides target enzymes that play a role in e.g. nucleic acid synthesis, respiration, cell division and other essential cellular processes. However, the molecular ...

Carbohydrates form one of the major classes of biological macromolecules in living organisms, but structural analysis and the quality control of carbohydrate structures represent a major challenge due to the frequent occurrence of isomers that are difficult to distinguish using established techniques.

Changes in protein glycosylation are frequently identified in the context of diseases. For example, alterations in N-glycan profiles from blood plasma have been found to correlate with pathological ...

Autoimmune diseases affect approximately 5%–8% of the global population, causing immense suffering and posing a significant socioeconomic burden.

Over 80 autoimmune diseases have been identified so far, including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Systemic Erythematosus Lupus.

Current immune-modulatory drugs used in treating autoimmune diseases are non-specific and often ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common non-traumatic disabling disease among young adults. It affects approximately 2.8 million individuals worldwide, with increasing incidence and prevalence in both developed and developing countries.

The current immunomodulatory treatments for MS primarily address inflammation but fall short in promoting myelin repair and neurological function restoration.

Therefore, ...

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) requires optimal radio-frequency (RF) coil performance that ensures the highest RF magnetic field per unit power delivered to the coil, while maintaining the highest achievable RF field homogeneity. For MRI at high magnetic field level, it is important to use a multi-channel transmit coil for producing the desired RF field. However, it is impossible to design a multi-channel coil without considerable coupling between its coil elements. The major challenge in multi-channel ...

NMR spectroscopy is a unique technique for the assignment of the constitution, configuration and conformation of small molecules, natural products, proteins, nucleic acid and oligosaccharides. NMR-derived residual dipolar couplings overcome limitations associated with traditional NMR data, avoid data misinterpretation and provide novel insights into structure-activity relationships. In order to leverage the full potential of residual dipolar couplings, however, powerful dedicated software and ...

The state of an electron is completely defined by its momentum and spin. In processes like electron diffraction or photoemission electron ensembles are generated which have a characteristic 3D distribution of momentum and spin. To examine such events the three components of the momentum vector have to be measured. Up to now, the momentum distribution of an ensemble of charged particles was typically measured using energy-dispersive spectrometers based on sequential approaches (sequentially changing ...

One of biotechnology’s central goals is the synthesis of multicarbon compounds under mild and sustainable conditions from renewable resources. This requires biocatalysts and methods that enable selective C-C bond formation (carboligation) between two carbon units.

Moreover, optically active compounds can be used for optically resolving agents of medical or agriculture supplies such as 2-amino-1-butanol which is a starting material of the antituberculous drug ethambutol, diltiazem hydrochloride ...

Fluorescent dyes are widely used as indispensable markers in biology, optical microscopy, and analytical chemistry. In particular, the sensitive and stable imaging of cellular components depends on the favourable combination of chemical, biological and physical factors. The availability and proper choice of fluorescent dyes is a key factor to success in the entire labelling and imaging procedure. Due to their superior brightness and photostability, synthetic dyes represent an attractive alternative ...

The invention relates to a new method for light beam angle detection that is based on interferometry. High precision and sensitivity for slight changes of the beam direction can be achieved with this method.
For high precision light microscopy, the light beam must be aligned accurately, and the beam direction stability must be ensured in order to maintain a sufficient imaging resolution over longer periods of time. In standard microscopy environments even small temperature changes can result ...

This invention describes an advanced method and apparatus for processing magnetic resonance (MR) data, integrating machine learning to address key challenges in MR imaging analysis. The process involves collecting MR data, applying a machine learning model to estimate initial parameters, and refining these through regression to generate precise parameter maps (e.g., T1/T2 relaxation times, CEST metrics). This technology enhances the speed, accuracy, and reliability of diagnostic imaging applications, ...

X-ray Detector Software for processing single-crystal monochromatic diffraction data recorded by the rotation method.

This technology pertains to rare earth metal-free hard magnets with hexagonal or trigonal crystal symmetry. The magnets consist of ternary intermetallic compounds with the general composition X_aX’_bY_cZ_d, where X and X' are 3d transition metals, Y is a 4d or 5d transition metal, and Z is a main group element of groups 13, 14 and 15. The compounds exhibit high uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy, making them suitable for permanent magnetic materials ...

In the last decade, high-resolution computed tomography (CT) and microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) have been increasingly used in anthropological studies and as a complement to traditional histological techniques. This is due in large part to the ability of CT techniques to nondestructively extract three-dimensional representations of bone structures. Despite prior studies employing CT techniques, no completely reliable method of bone segmentation has been established.

The invention relates to a newly developed image processing method for optical coherence tomography (OCT) to be used in particular on the (human) eye’s anterior chamber. Said OCT images are used to diagnose glaucoma, but the required assessing methods are not yet available as automated and fully unsupervised.

Glaucoma is the main reason for irreversible blindness. Early-stage diagnosis is typically based on images of the anterior chamber. Various automated techniques for image analysis ...

The invention enables a fast and effective safety for persons (or obstacles) being in danger of hitting the beam of powerful lasers like YAG lasers. While being extremely powerful, the YAG laser light is invisible to the human eye. The safety mechanism is based on a harmless, visible laser light, i.e., cylindrically surrounding the YAG beam a shutter mechanism (i.e., with an entrance of cylindrical symmetry and made of synthetic material). The safety laser light is controlled by a ring (or sector) ...

This advanced beehive panel system revolutionizes hive management with precise, real-time control of the 3-dimensional temperature distribution inside the honey bee colony. The technology developed makes it possible to maintain and restore the optimal thermal homeostasis in the hive after and during the action of external stressors, strongly supporting the optimal relative density of the bee population. The sensing system is minimally invasive, promotes colony health and productivity, while preserving ...

SIMNRA is a Microsoft Windows program for the simulation of energy spectra for ion beam analysis with incident ions from about 100 keV to many MeV. SIMNRA can be used for the simulation of Rutherford backscattering (RBS), elastic backscattering with non-Rutherford cross-sections (EBS), nuclear reaction analysis (NRA), elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA), and medium energy ion scattering (MEIS). Almost 3000 different non-Rutherford and nuclear reactions cross-sections for incident protons, ...

Fluorescence microscopy is one of the key techniques in the life and materials sciences, with applications ranging from routine diagnostics to state-of-the-art research investigations. Key to this success has been its intrinsic advantages combined with continuous improvement in its fundamental features such as resolution, speed, and sensitivity.

Two key challenges are fast single-fluorophore imaging of multi-color samples. This need arises in a broad range of settings such as very high-resolution ...

RNA plays a vital role in gene expression regulation, and its dysregulation is linked to diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and viral infections. Targeting RNA-binding proteins or RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs, represents an emerging area in drug discovery. However, traditional RNA-binding small molecules often rely on linear hydrophobic aromatic scaffolds, which limit chemical diversity and therapeutic potential. This invention introduces azetidine-based small molecules, ...

Im Zuge der stetigen Weiterentwicklung und Nachfrage auf dem Gebiet der minimal invasiven Chirugie wurde am Max-Planck-Institut für intelligente Systeme in Stuttgart im Team von Herrn Prof Sitti für patientenfreundliche Magen-Darm-Untersuchungen ein kabelloses kapselförmiges Endoskop in Pillengröße, das sogenannte "B-MASCE" entwickelt. Die aus einem Elastomer bestehende Kapsel dient hierbei sowohl als Gehäuse als auch als Federelement für die Nadel. Über in der Kapsel eingebaute Magnete ...

Natural products from plants and microorganism are potent bioactive molecules that have been widely used in medicine, agriculture, food industry and cosmetics. Increased awareness of the environmental and health concerns of consuming chemically synthesized products has led to a rising demand for natural products that are greener and more sustainable.  Moreover, the increasing frequency of antibiotic-resistant infections clearly demonstrates a continues need for novel antibiotics. Despite ...

Cancer stands as the second-leading cause of human death worldwide, following closely behind cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, with a prevalence that continues to rise. In particular, hepatocellular carcinoma is a significant health concern, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and with a rising incidence rate due to increasing levels of cirrhosis and NAFLD/NASH.

Despite recent advancements in cancer therapies, ...

Novel gas exchange membranes based on superamphiphobic coatings applied on metal meshes were created and tested in different applications, like gas scrubbing and blood oxygenation.
By using the novel membrans drawbacks of traditional membranes - like insufficient wetting, plugging and depositions chemical incompatibility and temperature instability - can be avoided.

Two groundbreaking technologies are introduced, offering substantial enhancements to the precision and efficiency of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by auto-calibrating spin phase information directly from imaging data.
The first invention presents a method to extract spin phase evolution maps – arising from arbitrary spatial encoding fields that continuously oscillate and evolve during signal acquisition – using existing imaging data without the need for additional field mapping scans. ...

Proteins are the main functional units within cells. Their regulated synthesis and degradation are crucial for controlling biological processes. In all cells, protein synthesis is used to respond to extra- and/or intracellular cues to remodel cellular function. Previous studies probing the role of protein synthesis have used chemical inhibitors, often common antibiotics, which are effective but lack functional and cell-type specificity when applied to a mixture of cells.

A method for the stable production of cannabinoids at high yields with the concomitant absence of psychoactive constituents.

The invention relates to a new dynamic optical component based on a metasurface that can be operated electrically at visible frequencies. Realizing pixel level addressability of the metasurface properties paves the way towards the next generation of optical devices for data storage and communication.

Nanoantennas on a metasurface are used to directly change properties of light but are typically limited to static effects. However, state-of-the-art devices with optical reconfigurability are ...

A ultrarapid cryo-arrest directly on a multimodal fluorescence microscope that preserves molecular activity patterns during observation of their dynamics in living cells at any timepoint.

In arid and semiarid regions biological soil crusts (BSC) cover about 1/3 of the soil surface. As far as it is known, these BSC (consisting of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, bryophytes, and other bacteria living in contact with soil particles) are crucial for the global terrestrial carbon and nitrogen cycle. The water status plays a major role, since their water content directly controls the activity of these poikilohydric organisms.