Abstract: The present invention concerns a system for the focusing and/or a collimation of an ion beam, in particular a beam of accelerated protons, wherein the system has a lens with a lens body that is permeable to the ion beam, wherein means for the generation of an in particular electrostatic field, propagating within the lens body and focusing the ion beam, are provided, wherein the lens body has a wall of low thickness, wherein the means for the field generation comprise a source of electromagnetic radiation, whose emitted beam is directed onto the outer side of the wall of the lens body, wherein the thickness of the wall and the quality of the electromagnetic radiation is chosen such that the radiation generates free electrons that emerge from the wall and accumulate on the exit side of the wall in an electron cloud.

Abstract: The invention concerns a driving aid system file supplying data to a vehicle running on an infrastructure, and comprising a magnetic marking formed on the infrastructure and adapted to encode data addressed to said vehicle, said data being modifiable, and a detection device comprising a plurality of magnetic sensors onboard the vehicle for detecting a total magnetic field including the magnetic field generated by the magnetic marking and for producing signals representing the total magnetic field, and a processing unit adapted to process the representative signals, and to determine a first distance between the vehicle and the magnetic marking, and to decode the data encoded on the magnetic marking

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition and method for treating a magnesium alloy. The inventive composition comprises an acid aqueous solution containing niobium pentoxide, a water-soluble cerium salt and, optionally, a zirconium salt and/or hydroflouric acid. Said method consists in submerging a magnesium alloy part in said composition. The invention can be used to protect magnesium alloy parts against corrosion.

Abstract: A device for controlling the interaction of a tip and a sample includes a deformable element carrying the tip and means for positioning the tip with respect to the sample. The device also includes at lest two electrodes for creating an electrical field that exerts a force. The deformable element is preferably elastically deformable and includes advantageously a cantilever. According to a method for controlling the interaction of a tip and a sample, the tip carried by a deformable element is positioned with respect to the sample and the interaction of the tip and the sample is controlled by creating an electric field using a voltage between at least two electrodes. This electrical field exerts a force on the tip. Applications are to atomic force microscopy (AFM) and to nano-indentation measurements.

Abstract: A cell, particularly a hematopoietic cell population wherein the cells are trapped with respect to activation by an antigen to which the immune system of the host; (human or animal) is to be made tolerant. The cells contain a genetic sequence of which the expression product (e.g. HSV1--TK--) may, when its production is increased so that it is present in a sufficient quantity within said trapped cells, react in situ with a pharmaceutically active substance (e.g. acyclovir) to induce the destruction of the cells and of means (e.g. a promoter of an interleukin receptor controlling the expression of said genetic sequence) which are specifically induced by an activation signal provided by the antigen to the cells, to cause the aforesaid increased production. The production of drugs implementing the above mentioned principles in order to prevent host immune system dysfunctions which are natural (autoimmune diseases) or induced (grafts), is also described.