Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention relates to the use of a TLR 9 agonist and/or a TLR 4 agonist in a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine. According to the present vaccination strategy, the TLR 9 agonist and/or TLR 4 agonist is adapted or designed for use as a multiplying jump agent to enhance numbers and functionality of CD8 T cells in a prime-jump vaccination strategy for jump T cell expansion. In particular, the TLR 9 agonist and/or TLR 4 agonist is used as a component to be administered after priming of the individual to be vaccinated. The vaccination strategy is particularly useful against acute and chronic infections with intracellular pathogens or for anti-tumor vaccination. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a kit of part containing a prime agent and a multiplying jump agent according to the present invention.

Abstract: A device for circulating wastewater is received in a tank, in which a conical or hyperboloid-like stirring body is mounted on a vertical stirring shaft, wherein the stirring body is composed from a plurality of segments produced from metal along radially extending joining zones.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates dendritic cell compositions. The dentritic cell compositions employ MHC class-II targeting signals fused to an antigen or fragment thereof to obtain MHC II presentation of the antigen or fragment thereof. In particular, the invention refers to a dendritic cell vaccine comprising dendritic cells expressing a MHC class-II targeting signal fused to an antigen or fragment thereof. Dendritic cell vaccines for the stimulation of an immune response against melanoma-associated antigen are also described.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates methods for the generation of human antigen-specific T lymphocytes. The methods employ MHC class-II targeting signals fused to an antigen or fragment thereof to obtain MHC class presentation of RNA coded proteins. Accordingly, the present invention concerns expression vectors comprising MHC class-II targeting signal and at least one antigen or fragment thereof and its use for the in vitro generation of antigen-specific T lymphocytes. T cell clones and T cell receptors (TCRs) specific for tumor antigens or viral antigens are also described.

Abstract: A stirring body has a hyperboloid-like or truncated cone-like form and a central connector piece for connection to a stirring shaft. To simplify the production of the stirring body and to reduce the transport outlay, it is proposed for the stirring body to be formed from a plurality of segments which are interconnected along joining zones extending from a peripheral edge in the direction of the connector piece.

Abstract: A stirring device for wastewater includes a drive device having a drive shaft extending vertically in the assembled state, a stirring body mounted on the drive shaft, a safety bearing in which a free end of the drive shaft is rotatably held, a slide sleeve is mounted on the free end of the drive shaft, and a device for detecting a state of wear of the slide sleeve. The device for detecting the state of wear includes a sensor mounted on the safety bearing and an evaluation device for evaluating the signals delivered by the sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a monitoring device (6) for monitoring the environment, in particular for monitoring the environment for radioactive radiation, comprising at least one receiver for receiving measured values of an environmental variable that potentially poses a health hazard and comprising a computing unit (10) for computing a hazard warning (4.1-4.4) dependent on the measured values. The receiver is designed to receive the measured values from a plurality of spatially distributed electronic terminals (2.1-2.4), in particular from mobile telephones with an image sensor for measuring the radioactive radiation. The invention further relates to a corresponding terminal (2.1-2.4) and to a complete monitoring system with a monitoring device and numerous terminals (2.1-2.4) for measuring the environmental variable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule comprising or consisting of a nucleic acid sequence encoding the vesicular stomatitis virus envelope glycoprotein (VSV-G) linked to a (poly)peptide comprising or consisting of a cell membrane-binding domain, said nucleic acid sequence comprising in 5? to 3? direction (a) a first sequence segment encoding an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) signal sequence; (b) a second sequence segment encoding said (poly)peptide comprising or consisting of a cell membrane-binding domain; (c) a third sequence segment encoding a linker; and (d) a fourth sequence segment encoding said VSV-G. Further, the invention relates to a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of the invention, a host cell comprising said vector or nucleic acid molecule, the polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid molecule and a method of producing the polypeptide encoded by said nucleic acid molecule.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide comprising (a) a first set of six complementarity determining regions (CDRs) configured to bind a first antigen; and (b) (ba) a second set of six CDRs configured to bind a second antigen; or (bb) a ligand capable of binding to a second antigen; wherein (i) said first antigen is selected from Hepatitis B virus (HBV) small surface antigen; HBV medium surface antigen; and HBV large surface antigen; and (ii) said second antigen is selected from surface antigens presented by immune effector cells such as natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Also provided are compositions for use in a method of treating or preventing HBV infection and/or a condition caused by said HBV infection, said condition caused by said HBV infection being selected from liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract: A device for circulating a liquid received in a container, in particular for circulating wastewater received in a tank, has a hyperboloid-like or truncated cone-like stirring body mounted on a vertical shaft, wherein a plurality of transport ribs extending from the peripheral edge in the direction of the shaft are provided on an outer side of the stirring body, a centerline between two adjacent transport ribs is defined by points of equal minimum distance from each crest line of the two adjacent transport ribs, an aperture is provided in the stirring body between the two transport ribs, and an aperture area delimited by the edge of the aperture has a geometric center of gravity. The geometric center of gravity of the aperture area is disposed in a region between the centerline and the crest line of one of the two transport ribs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding (I) a polypeptide having the activity of an endonuclease, which is (a) a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (b) a nucleic acid molecule comprising or consisting of the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (c) a nucleic acid molecule encoding an endonuclease, the amino acid sequence of which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (d) a nucleic acid molecule comprising or consisting of a nucleotide sequence which is at least 50% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (e) a nucleic acid molecule which is degenerate with respect to the nucleic acid molecule of (d); or (f) a nucleic acid molecule corresponding to the nucleic acid molecule of any one of (a) to (e) wherein T is replaced by U; (II) a fragment of the polypeptide of (I) having the activity of an endonuclease.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus (100) for imaging an object (1) under investigation, in particular a biological object, comprises a light source device (10) arranged for an illumination of the object (1), a light detector device (20) arranged for detection of light emitted by the object (1) in response to the illumination of the object (1), an acoustic detector device (30) arranged for collecting acoustic signals generated in the object (1) in response to the illumination of the object (1), an image reconstruction device (40) arranged for reconstructing an optical image and an opto-acoustic image of the object (1), and a resolution adaptation device (50) being capable of adjusting imaging properties of the opto-acoustic image, said imaging properties including at least one of the spatial resolution and the imaging depth of the opto-acoustic image. Furthermore, an imaging method for imaging an object (1) under investigation, in particular a biological object, is described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a horizontal agitator for producing a flow in a clarifier, a submersible motor (1) and a propeller (3) drivingly connected thereto forming an assembly unit (M), wherein a receiving portion (A) for removably attaching the assembly unit (M) is provided and can be supported on the bottom (Bo) of the clarifier, and wherein a guide for guiding the assembly unit (M) along a substantially vertical movement path between a surfacing position above a maximum nominal sewage level (N) defined for the clarifier and the receiving portion (A) is provided. In order to improve the efficiency of the horizontal agitator and to reduce complexity of manufacture, the guide is formed by at least one first cable (S) extending between the surfacing position and the receiving portion (A).

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: An imaging device for medical imaging includes a light source device arranged to illuminate a sample under investigation with illumination light, a detector device arranged to collect a plurality of images including at least two sample light images backscattered by the sample in different spectral ranges, and at least one marker light image originating from at least one marker substance in the sample, and a processor device adapted to process the at least two sample light images and create at least one correction component, the processor device further adapted to correct the marker light image using the at least one correction component.

Abstract: A grate step module (1) for a thrust combustion grate for the combustion of refuse in a large-scale plant has a carrier part (2) for the grate steps (3, 4), exactly one fixed grate step (3) and exactly one movable grate step (4) and also a grate step drive. The movable grate step (4) is displaceable back and forth with respect to the fixed grate step (3) by way of the grate step drive. The grate step module (1) is connectable in a row with further grate step modules (1) without a gap and in this way forms the thrust combustion grate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds which are inhibitors of non-apoptotic regulated cell death, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of such compounds and pharmaceutical compositions in therapy, in particular in the treatment of a condition, disorder or disease that is characterised by non-apoptotic regulated cell-death or where non-apoptotic regulated cell-death is likely to play or plays a substantial role.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a non-human, mammalian oocyte carrying a modified target sequence in its genome, the method comprising the steps of introducing into a non-human, mammalian oocyte: (a) a clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9 protein) or a nucleic acid molecule encoding said Cas9 protein; and (b-i) a target sequence specific CRISPR RNA (crRNA) and a trans-activating crRNA (tracr RNA) or a nucleic acid molecule encoding said RNAs; or (b-ii) a chimaeric RNA sequence comprising a target sequence specific crRNA and tracrRNA or a nucleic acid molecule encoding said RNA; wherein the Cas9 protein introduced in (a) and the RNA sequence(s) introduced in (b-i) or (b-ii) form a protein/RNA complex that specifically binds to the target sequence and introduces a single or double strand break within the target sequence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the (S)-enantiomer of mepazine, its applicability in therapy, a pharmacological composition comprising (S)-mepazine, and processes for the preparation of (S)-mepazine and one of its intermediates.

Abstract: The invention relates to a horizontal agitator for producing a flow in a clarifier, a propeller being connected to a submersible motor which is axially offset in relation thereto, wherein the propeller and the submersible motor are designed such that a flow in a direction from the propeller towards the submersible motor is produced when the submersible motor is operated, and wherein plate-shaped flow guide elements are provided downstream of the propeller and extend in at least an axial plane that runs substantially parallel to the propeller axis. In order to improve the efficiency of the horizontal agitator, it is proposed in accordance with the invention to support the submersible motor on a bottom of the clarifier via at least two first flow guide elements.