A versatile platform for activity determination of cytokines and growth factors based on the human TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin) receptor.

Cytokines and growth factors are signaling proteins involved in communication processes between cells. They are involved in the control of numerous essential physiological processes such as cell proliferation, gene transcription and differentiation; therefore being in the focus of basic and applied research. Many of them are also of relevance for human diseases.

Combined shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy and support vector regression for monitoring the algal production of complex polysaccharides.

The applicability of shifted-excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS) in combination with signal regression analysis as an alternative and non-invasive approach for monitoring the cultivation of phototrophic microorganisms producing complex molecules of pharmaceutical relevance in a bioreactor is demonstrated. As a model system, the cultivation of the red unicellular algae Porphyridium purpureum is used for focusing on the segregation of sulfated exopolysaccharides (EPS) which exhibit antiviral activity. The spectroscopic results obtained by partial linear least squares regression (PLSR) and by nonlinear support vector regression (SVR) are discussed against the corresponding results from the reference analytics based on the phenol-sulfuric acid assay.

Thermal treatment of harzardous waste for heavy metal recovery.

In this study, a new method for recovering heavy metals from hazardous waste is introduced. The process is characterized by a separation of heavy metals and residues during the thermal treatment under a sub-stoichiometric atmosphere in a rotary kiln. After leaving the rotary kiln the separated heavy metals are precipitated in a hot gas ceramic filter.