Abstract: In a gas inlet structure for an ion source, including a capillary for the admission of a sample gas, which capillary is disposed in a guide tube for discharging a sample gas into the guide tube, the guide tube has an open end disposed in the ion source. The guide tube includes a valve for the pulsed admission of a carrier gas to the guide tube. The guide tube, the valve and the capillary are supported in a sealed support housing from which the guide tube with the capillary disposed therein projects into the ion source for supplying thereto the sample gas in a pulsed manner.

Abstract: A device for administration of a medicated aerosol via the lungs consists of an inhalation mouthpiece 11, with an associated adjustable vaporizer 12, and of a compressed-air control valve 14 through which a pre-settable (13) volumetric flow of compressed air can be discharged to the vaporizer 12 containing the liquid medicament throughout a settable period of time. For operation of the device an electronic controller is provided on which the vaporizing period of the vaporizer and a pause interval can be set, with provisions being made for triggering the beginning of the vaporizing operation by means of a pressure sensor responsive to a suction pressure in the mouthpiece.

Abstract: Multiple myeloma is treated by deletion mutants of the gp130 protein of the IL-3 receptor. These mutants inhibit the binding of Hck tyrosine kinase and the growth of tumor cells, particularly myeloma cells.

Abstract: According to the invention, a method is provided wherein intact bispecific or trispecific antibodies which at the same time bind to the T cell receptor complex of a T cell, to tumor-associated antigens on a tumor cell, and, via the Fc portion of the bispecific antibody, to Fc receptor-positive cells are used for the induction of an anti-tumour immunity in humans and animals.

Abstract: In a device for separating the particle size spectrum of a polydisperse aerosol comprising a housing including an inlet part, a guide part, an outlet part, a nozzle insert and a separation insert, all parts are axially symmetrical and joined by centering fits so that they are easy to manufacture and can easily be assembled and also replaced. The parts are so fitted together that they are automatically centered during assembly while providing for the properly sized aerosol and air supply and particle fraction extraction channels.

Abstract: The present invention describes monoclonal antibodies which are useful for the specific detection and therapy of diffuse gastric carcinoma. Further embodiments describe therapeutic and diagnostic means for the detection and for the therapy of diffuse gastric carcinomas as well as methods for the detection and therapy of diffuse gastric carcinomas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant vaccinia viruses derived from the modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) and containing and capable of expressing foreign genes which are inserted at the site of a naturally occurring deletion in the MVA genome, and the use of such recombinant MVA viruses for the production of polypeptides, e.g. antigens or therapeutic agents, or viral vectors for gene therapy, and the use of such recombinant MVA viruses encoding antigens as vaccines.

Abstract: Compositions of matter and methods for expressing a polypeptide are provided. In one aspect, a gene construct is provided that comprises an enhancer comprising particular elements or combinations of elements from the immunoglobulin &kgr; locus, the immunoglobulin heavy chain &mgr; locus, and the immunoglobulin &lgr; locus, and a promoter and polyadenylation site linked to a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide from a select group. Cells comprising the gene construct, processes for producing such cells, and processes for producing the polypeptide encoded by the gene construct from such cells are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody which specifically binds the Pax9 antigen as well as methods for using the same.

Abstract: The present invention describes monoclonal antibodies which are useful for the specific detection of diffuse gastric carcinoma. Further embodiments describe therapeutic and diagnostic means for the detection and for the therapy of diffuse gastric carcinomas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for helper virus-free packaging of gene vector DNA into the virus particles of a DNA virus as well as to eukaryotic helper cells for helper virus-free packaging of gene vector DNA into the virus particles of a DNA helper virus wherein a DNA virus having a genome ≧100 kbp is employed (FIG. 1).

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for determining neutron spectra using at least two neutron detectors which provide integral counting rates from which the spectrum of a neutron radiation can be approximated, and which consist each of a semiconductor diode, a converter layer, an inactive layer and an active layer. The various layers of each detector are different from those of the other neutron detector and so selected that the sensitivity functions of the two neutron detectors are different. An artificial neutral network is provided which is especially trained and to which the counting rates of the detectors are supplied to be processed for obtaining the neutron spectrum.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of prognosticating the illness development of patients with carcinoma of the breast and/or for diagnosing carcinoma of the breast, the method comprising a qualitative determination of T1 protein and/or T1-mRNA in a sample material obtained from the patient. The invention further pertains to kits for performing the methods according to the invention.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided a human or animal cell expressing an antibody directed against a surface antigen on an antigen-presenting cell (APC) and lacking parental tumor-derived immunoglobulin.

Abstract: The invention concerns medicaments containing antibodies which have at least one specificity and detect the MHCII antigen of a patient to be treated. The invention further concerns antibodies with two or more specificities which detect the MHCII antigen of a patient, and diagnostic compositions containing these antibodies.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a method for the induction of a NK cell-mediated immune response ex vivo characterized in that a physiological cell suspension containing at least tumor cells or animal or human cells infected by viruses, bacteria and/or fungi (target cells) and NK cells is treated by the following process steps in the order mentioned to increase the sensitivity of the target cells for lysis by NK cells: Heat treating the cells contained in the suspension at a temperature of 38° C. to 43° C. for a period of at least 1 hour; lowering the temperature to physiological cell temperature (about 37° C.) to give the cells contained in the suspension a recovery period of at least 1 hour; addition of a compound increasing the portion of membrane-bound Hsp7O of the target cells in a concentration which is sublethal for the cells and allowing the compound to be effective for at least 30 minutes; recovery period of at least about 1 hour at 37° C.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a procedure for the destruction of contaminating tumor cells in stem cell transplants ex vivo using intact bispecific antibodies.

Abstract: For avoidance of cell aggregation and damage to the cells as well as for a reduction of the risk of contamination, an apparatus for the cultivation and concentration of non-adherent cells as well as for the co-culture of two different cell species consists of an elongate hollow vessel comprising a resting surface extending in parallel with the longitudinal axis of said vessel for positioning the hollow vessel for cell culture operation, a standing surface provided orthogonally on the longitudinal axis for positioning the hollow vessel for cell-harvesting operation or for the co-culture of two cell species, at least one closable charging and discharging opening formed on the hollow vessel on the section of the latter which is opposite to said standing surface, and a partitioning wall extending inside the hollow vessel from the standing surface thereof, which partly subdivides the interior space of the vessel, with this partitioning wall being formed at least in parts with a liquid-permeable, however cell-imper

Abstract: T cells having a desired antigen specificity are stimulated by (a) introducing immortalizing genes into antigen-presenting cells in a manner permitting regulation of the expression and/or function of at least one of these genes to achieve conditionally immortalized antigen-presenting cells; (b) introducing a gene encoding the desired antigen into the immortalized cells in a manner permitting the antigen to be expressed after the expression and/or abolishment of the function of at least one of the immortalizing genes stops; (c) expanding the immortalized antigen-presenting cells by expression and/or functional activation of the immortalizing genes; (d) completing the proliferation of the immortalized antigen-presenting cells by stopping the expression and/or abolishing the function of at least one of the controllable immortalizing genes; (e) continuing the expression of the antigen; (f) adding leucocytic cells including T cells and cultivating the cell mixture to stimulate the T cells directed against the desi

Abstract: A method of treating plants to raise their resistance to viroids and to protect them from the effects of viroid infections by administering bioassimilable boron compounds to the plants.