Der Patentlebenszyklus: Methodische L�sungsans�tze der externen Technologieanalyse

Die Technologielebenszyklusanalyse stellt ein geeignetes Instrument f�r die Absch�tzung der Chancen und Risiken innerhalb eines Technologiefeldes und die Ermittlung der Technologieattraktivit�t dar. Durch die Operationalisierung des Technologielebenszyklus als Anzahl der Patentanmeldungen oder Patenterteilungen ber der Zeit kann das Instrumentarium patentstatistischer Analysen eine verl�ssliche Grundlage f�r die externe Technologieanalyse bilden. Die zentrale Problemstellung in der Analysepraxis ist die Abgrenzung des Technologiefeldes, die die Anwendbarkeit der Patentlebenszyklusanalyse bisher einschr�nkt. Der vorliegende Beitrag verdeutlicht am Beispiel des Herzschrittmachers, wie die Abgrenzungsprobleme des Technologiefeldes und der Lebenszyklusphasen gel�st werden k�nnen. Summary: The technology life cycle analysis is an ideal method for estimating the opportunities and threats within a technology field and for determining the attractiveness of a technology. By defining the technology life cycle as the number of patent applications or patents granted over time, the patent analysis tool provides a reliable basis for the external technology forecasting. The main issue in practical analyses is the isolation of the technology field, which limits the way in which patent life cycle analysis can be applied. By discussing the example of the cardiac pacemaker, this paper explains the manner in which a technology field can be isolated and in which the life cycle phases can be identified.Technologielebenszyklus, Patentlebenszyklus, Technologielebenszyklusanalyse, Patentlebenszyklusanalyse, Technologiefeldabgrenzung, Patentanmeldungen, Patenterteilungen

A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red

A new approach is presented for analysis of microplastics in environmental samples, based on selective fluorescent staining using Nile Red (NR), followed by density-based extraction and filtration. The dye adsorbs onto plastic surfaces and renders them fluorescent when irradiated with blue light. Fluorescence emission is detected using simple photography through an orange filter. Image-analysis allows fluorescent particles to be identified and counted. Magnified images can be recorded and tiled to cover the whole filter area, allowing particles down to a few micrometres to be detected. The solvatochromic nature of Nile Red also offers the possibility of plastic categorisation based on surface polarity characteristics of identified particles. This article details the development of this staining method and its initial cross-validation by comparison with infrared (IR) microscopy. Microplastics of different sizes could be detected and counted in marine sediment samples. The fluorescence staining identified the same particles as those found by scanning a filter area with IR-microscopy

Occupation with grain crops is associated with lower type 1 diabetes incidence:Registry-based case-control study

Intranasal administration of gliadin prevents autoimmune diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice. The current study was designed to investigate if bakers are intranasally exposed to gluten during work and whether occupation as baker is inversely associated with type 1 diabetes. Gliadin was measured in nasal swabs from eight bakers and butchers. The odds ratio of type 1 diabetes in selected profession groups was analysed in a registry-based case-control study with data from 1980 to 2010 derived from Statistics Denmark. The cohort included 1,210,017 Danish individuals, thereof 15,451 with type 1 diabetes (1.28%). Average nasal gliadin swab content after full working days was 6.3 μg (confidence interval (CI): 2.8 to 9.7) among bakers, while no nasal gliadin was detected among butchers. The odds ratio of type 1 diabetes was lower among bakers (OR = 0.57; CI: 0.52 to 0.62) and agriculture workers occupied with production of grains (OR = 0.65; CI: 0.56 to 0.75). Bakers had a lower odds ratio of type 1 diabetes, which potentially could be attributed to exposure of nasal mucosal gluten during work, as observed in this study. If other studies confirm the present observations, intranasal gliadin administration could possibly be an easy and safe approach for the prevention of type 1 diabetes in high-risk individuals or prediabetic subjects

Sound absorption by textile resonators

Since the first usage of absorbing structures to modify architectural acoustics the dampening of low frequencies has proven to be a difficult issue. Due to the rise of the population and concentration of said population in urban areas, also known as urban densification, the noise level has risen over the last years. A long-term exposure to noise can lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure and sleep deprivation. The omnipresent sound in urban areas has a direct impact on the personal well-being. Currently used broadband absorbers work well in a frequency range from 300 Hz to 5 kHz. The dampening of frequencies below 300 Hz, especially below 200 Hz, requires large voluminas due to the wavelength and the absorbing mechanism. To achieve absorption of low frequencies a textile resonator with multiple absorbing mechanisms is proposed. The conversion of energy from the acoustic pressure field in mechanical oscillations as well as heat provides the possibility for efficient absorbers without large voluminas. Compared to common membrane resonators, which similar to Helmholtz resonators use a closed cavity behind the membrane, the textile resonators do not need a closed cavity to generate friction and visco-thermal losses

Development of a Versatile Strategy for Inkjet-Printed Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Microarrays

Biochips are composed of arrays of micropatterns enabling the optical detection of target analytes. Inkjet printing, complementary to commercially available micro- and nanospotters, is a contactless and versatile micropatterning method. Surprisingly, the inkjet printing of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), also known as biomimetic synthetic antibodies, has not been demonstrated as yet. In this work, core–shell structures are proposed through the combination of inkjet printing of the core (top-down approach) and controlled radical polymerization (CRP) to decorate the core with a thin film of MIP (bottom-up approach). The resulting biochips show quantitative, specific, and selective detection of antibiotic drug enrofloxacin by means of fluorescence analysis.Sample In - Answer Out Optochemical Sensing System

Gluten-Free Diet Only during Pregnancy Efficiently Prevents Diabetes in NOD Mouse Offspring

Studies have documented that the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes is influenced by the intake of gluten. Aims. To investigate the importance of gluten exposure during pregnancy and the subsequent development of autoimmune diabetes in offspring. Methods. Nonobese diabetic mice were divided into 7 groups to receive combinations of gluten-free and standard diet before, during, or after pregnancy. Diabetes incidence in offspring was followed in each group (n=16–27) for 310 days. Insulitis score and intestinal expression of T-cell transcription factors (RT-QPCR) were evaluated in animals from the different diet groups. Results. If mothers were fed a gluten-free diet only during pregnancy, the development of autoimmune diabetes in offspring was almost completely prevented with an incidence reduction from 62.5% in gluten-consuming mice to 8.3% (p<0.0001) in the gluten-free group. The islets of Langerhans were less infiltrated (p<0.001) and the intestinal expression of RORγt (Th17) (p<0.0001) reduced in mice whose mothers were Gluten-free during pregnancy. Conclusion. A gluten-free diet exclusively during pregnancy efficiently prevents autoimmune diabetes development in offspring and reduces insulitis and intestinal expression of RORγt (Th17)

Large Gliadin Peptides Detected in the Pancreas of NOD and Healthy Mice following Oral Administration

Gluten promotes type 1 diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice and likely also in humans. In NOD mice and in non-diabetes-prone mice, it induces inflammation in the pancreatic lymph nodes, suggesting that gluten can initiate inflammation locally. Further, gliadin fragments stimulate insulin secretion from beta cells directly. We hypothesized that gluten fragments may cross the intestinal barrier to be distributed to organs other than the gut. If present in pancreas, gliadin could interact directly with the immune system and the beta cells to initiate diabetes development. We orally and intravenously administered 33-mer and 19-mer gliadin peptide to NOD, BALB/c, and C57BL/6 mice and found that the peptides readily crossed the intestinal barrier in all strains. Several degradation products were found in the pancreas by mass spectroscopy. Notably, the exocrine pancreas incorporated large amounts of radioactive label shortly after administration of the peptides. The study demonstrates that, even in normal animals, large gliadin fragments can reach the pancreas. If applicable to humans, the increased gut permeability in prediabetes and type 1 diabetes patients could expose beta cells directly to gliadin fragments. Here they could initiate inflammation and induce beta cell stress and thus contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes