Abstract: The invention relates to a method for in vitro maturation of at least one immate dendritic cell, comprising stimulating said immature dendritic cell with TNF?, IL-1?, IFN?, a TLR7/8 agonist and prostaglandin E2(PG). Furthermore, the invention elates to a composition comprising these factors as well as to mature dendritic cells produced by a method of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a compound for use in treating a cancer, wherein the cancer depends on the proteolytic activity of the MALT1 protease, and wherein the compound has the general formula (I) wherein X is N or C; Y is S, O, SO2, SO, NH, CO, CH2, CH?CH, or CH2—CH2; ( )z is a C1-C5 linear or branched alkyl chain; A is NR3R4, or OR5, or HET; R1 and R2 in each occurrence are independently selected from —H, —CH3, —OH, —OCH3, —SCH3, —F, —Cl, —CF3, —NH2, and —COOH; R3, R4, and R5 are H, or C1-C5 linear or branched alkyl groups, and HET is a heterocyclic ring of 5, 6, or 7 members, wherein the ring atoms can be C, O, N, or S, the ring can be saturated or aromatic, and the ring can be substituted with H or C1-C5 linear or branched alkyl groups; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug, enantiomer, diastereomer, racemic mixture, crystalline form, amorphous form, unsolvated form or solvate of said compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a modified protein having an increased stability and/or improved folding efficiency as compared to the unmodified protein, the method comprising (i) modifying a nucleic acid molecule encoding a protein comprising at least one immunoglobulin constant domain-like region by (a-i) replacing the nucleotides encoding at least one amino acid, preferably an uncharged amino acid, in the loop separating the C strand from the D strand with nucleotides encoding a charged amino acid selected from the group consisting of Arg, Lys, His, Glu and Asp and/or replacing the nucleotides encoding at least one amino acid, preferably an uncharged amino acid, in the helix connecting the E strand with the F strand with nucleotides encoding a charged amino acid selected from the group consisting of Arg, Lys, His, Glu and Asp; (a-ii) replacing the nucleotides encoding at least one amino acid not having a side chain that can form a hydrogen bond in the loop separating the C strand fr

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a kit-of-parts or composition containing nucleic acid sequences coding for high-avidity, allo-restricted TCR, wherein the TCR are independently directed against the tyrosinase antigen, the melan-A antigen and the survivin antigen. The invention is further directed to a kit-of-parts or composition containing at least three groups of transgenic lymphocytes transformed with vectors coding for TCR against said antigens. Furthermore, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition and its use in the treatment of diseases involving malignant cells expressing said tumor-associated antigens. The invention further relates to a nucleic acid molecule coding for a TCR that recognizes the survivin antigen, a TCR encoded thereby and a T cell expressing said TCR. Further, the invention discloses a vector, a cell and a pharmaceutical composition encoding/containing same and their use in the treatment of diseases involving malignant cells expressing survivin.

Abstract: A device for the automated isolation and transfer of at least one microscopic sample from a sample carrier to a collecting system for subsequent automatic analysis is provided. The device comprises a selection unit for selecting at least one sample located on the sample carrier, a controllable isolation unit for the automated isolation of the at least one selected sample, a controllable transfer unit, which has carrier means for the defined receiving and deposition of the at least one selected isolated sample, for an automated and defined transfer of the at least one selected isolated sample from the sample carrier to the collecting system, and a control unit, which has a data link to the selection unit, the isolation unit and the transfer unit, for an automated isolation and transfer operation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of identifying CD4+ T cell antigens as well as to antigens which were identified by such a method. The present invention further is directed to the application of those identified antigens in medicine.

Abstract: A method of thermoacoustic imaging of an object includes providing thermoacoustic signals representing a mechanical wave response to a delivery of electromagnetic energy into the imaged object, reconstructing an energy deposition image representing a local energy absorption within the object based on the thermoacoustic signals, and decomposing the energy deposition image into a quantitative absorption image representing a distribution of a local absorption coefficient in the object and at least one further image component.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus (100), configured for thermoacoustic tomographic imaging a region of interest (2) in an object (1), comprises a source device (10) being arranged for emitting an electromagnetic energy input into the region of interest (2), a detector device (20) being arranged for detecting mechanical wave response signals generated in the region of interest (2) along multiple angular projection directions in response to the electromagnetic energy input, and an image data acquisition and processing device (30) being arranged for providing tomographic image data representing the image of the region of interest (2) on the basis of the mechanical wave response signals, wherein the source device (10) is adapted for continuously emitting the electromagnetic energy input with a predetermined input modulation, and the image data acquisition and processing device (30) is adapted for converting the mechanical wave response signals into the frequency domain and for performing data processing and image reconstructi

Abstract: An autostereoscopic display includes a background illumination with a multiplicity of parallel light strip groups with in each case at least two parallel light strips, wherein the individual light strip groups are arranged next to one another with a first grid dimension, and a lens grid arranged before the background illumination and has a multiplicity of parallel lens strips, wherein the lens strips are arranged next to one another with a second grid dimension, as well as a light modulator arranged before the lens grid and displays image information.

Abstract: A tomography apparatus that generates images of an object includes a radiation source emitting a radiation beam, wherein the radiation beam rotates around the object and penetrates the object; a radiation detector rotating around the object opposite the radiation source so that the radiation detector detects the radiation beam after penetration of the object; a radiation mask surrounding the object that masks the radiation beam, wherein the radiation mask is arranged in a path of the radiation beam between the radiation source and the radiation detector and the radiation beam passes the radiation mask only once between the radiation source and the radiation detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for in vitro maturation of at least one immate dendritic cell, comprising stimulating said immature dendritic cell with TNF?, IL-1?, IFN?, a TLR7/8 agonist and prostaglandin E2(PG). Furthermore, the invention elates to a composition comprising these factors as well as to mature dendritic cells produced by a method of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide having a fluorescence emission activity with a maximum emission at 505 to 515 nm, wherein said nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of (a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (b) a nucleic acid molecule having the DNA sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (c) a nucleic acid molecule hybridizing under stringent conditions to the complementary strand of (i.

Abstract: An ultrasound detector adapted for ultrasound detection with medical applications includes an optical waveguide, and at least one Bragg grating, created with a predetermined refractive index modulation amplitude in the optical waveguide, wherein the at least one Bragg grating includes a localized defect in periodicity so that a localized-light resonance portion is formed around the defect, and the localized-light resonance portion has spectral properties capable of being modulated in response to an ultrasound oscillation, wherein the optical waveguide is a non-amplifying optical medium, and the refractive index modulation amplitude is selected such that the localized-light resonance portion is concentrated at the defect in periodicity and the ultrasound oscillation can be sensed by the at least one Bragg grating with an acoustic sensitivity most of which being obtained over the localized-light resonance portion.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a high affinity T cell receptor (TCR) against a tumor-associated antigen, an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding same, a T cell expressing said TCR, and a pharmaceutical composition for use in the treatment of diseases involving malignant cells expressing said tumor-associated antigen.

Abstract: A scanner device for computed tomography imaging of an object, includes a measurement device including a source device arranged for irradiating the object with at least one beam and a detector device arranged for detecting radiation transmitted through the object, wherein the source device has a fixed position relative the detector device, and a carrier device accommodating the object in a position between the source device and the detector device, wherein the measurement device and the carrier device are capable of a scanning movement relative to each other, and the measurement device and the carrier device have a fixed spatial orientation during the scanning movement. Furthermore, a scanning method for computed tomography imaging of an object is described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation detector (10), in particular for detecting x-ray radiation, comprising a carrier substrate (11), a detector layer (12) which comprises GaN, is arranged on the carrier substrate (11) and has a thickness less than 50 ?m, and contact electrodes (13) which form ohmic contacts with the detector layer (12). The invention also relates to a measurement device which is equipped with at least one such radiation detector (10).

Abstract: An artificial airway including an airway tube having proximal and distal ends and a mask mounted at the distal end of the airway tube characterized in that the airway tube includes a curved portion adjacent to its distal end and a straight portion extending from the curved portion to the proximal end of the airway tube and the curved portion is more rigid than the straight portion.

Abstract: An image processing method for providing a digitized image as an approximation of an image function ƒ, wherein the digitized image comprises a plurality of pixels with a predetermined pixel size, comprises the steps of providing the image function ƒ from Radon data comprising a plurality of projection functions measured corresponding to a plurality of predetermined projection directions (v), and determining pixel values from the image function, the pixel values representing the digitized image to be obtained, wherein the pixel values are determined in dependence on at least two image function values within the pixel size of the respective pixel. Furthermore, an imaging method and an imaging device using the image processing method are described.

Abstract: A method of reconstructing a tomographic image of a region of investigation with reduced artifacts, said method comprises the steps of (a) reconstructing a first partial image and a second partial image of the region of investigation from first and second projection profiles each of which including projection data collected at first and second different groups of parallel projection lines, resp., wherein the first and second projection profiles are provided such that streak aliasing artifacts in the first and second partial images have different spatial phases, and (b) generating the tomographic image of the region of investigation by superimposing the first and second partial images. Preferably, the first and second projection profiles are constructed such that streak aliasing artifacts in the first and second partial images have opposite spatial phases relative to each other. Furthermore, an imaging method and an imaging device for imaging a region of investigation in an object are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant MVA which is capable of expressing structural HCV antigens, functional parts of said structural antigens or epitopes of said structural antigens. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition, especially in the form of a vaccine and containing the recombinant MVA according to the invention, to eukaryotic cells that contain the inventive recombinant MVA and to various uses of the recombinant MVA, for example for producing recombinant structural proteins, for producing a pharmaceutical preparation that is suitable for the therapy and prophylaxis of HCV infections and diseases thereby caused. The invention further relates to methods for producing recombinant MVA and recombinant structural HCV polypeptides encoded by said recombinant MVA, and to DNA or RNA of said recombinant MVA.