Technologieangebote

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.

Verfahren zur Herstellung einer mechanisch stabilen und flexiblen Polymer-basierten ionenleitenden Feststoffelektrolytmembran für den Einsatz in Lithium-basierten Energiespeichersystemen.

GNSS ermöglicht die zentimetergenaue Positionsbestimmung mit Hilfe der Trägerphase. Diese wird in einem GNSS-Empfänger mit einem Phasenregelkreis (PLL) kontinuierlich bestimmt. Heutige GNSS-Empfänger tracken die Trägerphase von jedem Satellit und jeder Frequenz aber getrennt. Dies ist ein großer Nachteil, da die sehr starke spektrale und räumliche Korrelation zwischen den Trägerphasen nicht genutzt wird. Damit ist das Phasentracking sehr fehleranfällig. Dies führt insbesondere bei kostengünstigen GNSS-Empfängern zu einer Vielzahl von Phasensprüngen. Das patentierte Verfahren beinhaltet ein Vektor-Phasentracking, das die Trägerphasen aller sichtbaren Satelliten auf allen verfügbaren Frequenzen gemeinsam verarbeitet und dabei die räumliche und spektrale Korrelation der Messungen ausnutzt. Das Verfahren ermöglicht ein kontinuierliches, sprungfreies Tracking der Trägerphasen, auch dann wenn die Signalstärke (C/N0) einzelner Satelliten um 20 dB einbricht. Damit ist das Verfahren besonders hilfreich bei der Verwendung von kostengünstigen GNSS-Empfängern/Antennen, in Umgebungen mit starken Mehrwegefehlern und bei ionosphärischen Szintillationen.

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