Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, a method of raising an immune response against a pathogen which comprises administering (i) one or more first immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; (ii) one or more adenoviral vectors comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotides encoding one or more second immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; and (iii) an adjuvant; wherein the one or more first immunogenic polypeptides, the one or more adenoviral vectors and the adjuvant are administered concomitantly. The invention also relates to vaccines, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and uses employing said polypeptides, adenoviral vectors and adjuvants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, a method of raising an immune response against a pathogen which comprises administering (i) one or more first immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; (ii) one or more adenoviral vectors comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotides encoding one or more second immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; and (iii) an adjuvant; wherein the one or more first immunogenic polypeptides, the one or more adenoviral vectors and the adjuvant are administered concomitantly. The invention also relates to vaccines, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and uses employing said polypeptides, adenoviral vectors and adjuvants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, a method of raising an immune response against a pathogen which comprises administering (i) one or more first immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; (ii) one or more adenoviral vectors comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotides encoding one or more second immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; and (iii) an adjuvant; wherein the one or more first immunogenic polypeptides, the one or more adenoviral vectors and the adjuvant are administered concomitantly. The invention also relates to vaccines, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and uses employing said polypeptides, adenoviral vectors and adjuvants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to immunogenic compositions comprising HIV-1 antigens and uses thereof in the prevention and/or treatment of HIV-1. In particular, the invention relates to the use of HIV-1 antigens from one clade in the prevention and/or treatment of disease associated with HIV-1 infection from a heterologous HIV-1 clade.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, a method of raising an immune response against a pathogen which comprises administering (i) one or more first immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; (ii) one or more adenoviral vectors comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotides encoding one or more second immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; and (iii) an adjuvant; wherein the one or more first immunogenic polypeptides, the one or more adenoviral vectors and the adjuvant are administered concomitantly. The invention also relates to vaccines, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and uses employing said polypeptides, adenoviral vectors and adjuvants.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment of HIV-1 infected subjects. The invention relates in particular to enhancing the immune response of an infected subject and to stabilising or reducing the viral load of an infected subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates, inter alia, to a method of raising an immune response against a pathogen which comprises administering (i) one or more first immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; (ii) one or more viral vectors comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotides encoding one or more second immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; and (iii) an adjuvant; wherein the one or more first immunogenic polypeptides, the one or more viral vectors and the adjuvant are administered concomitantly. The invention also relates to vaccines, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and uses employing said polypeptides, viral vectors and adjuvants.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel HIV polypeptide and polynucleotide fusions of Gag, Pol and Nef which are useful in immunogenic compositions and vaccines. The invention relates in particular to a polypeptide which comprises Nef or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and p17 Gag and/or p24 Gag or immunogenic fragments thereof, wherein when both p17 and p24 Gag are present there is at least one HIV antigen or immunogenic fragment between them. The polypeptide may also comprise Pol or RT or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to, inter alia, a method of raising an immune response against a pathogen which comprises administering (i) one or more first immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; (ii) one or more adenoviral vectors comprising one or more heterologous polynucleotides encoding one or more second immunogenic polypeptides derived from said pathogen; and (iii) an adjuvant; wherein the one or more first immunogenic polypeptides, the one or more adenoviral vectors and the adjuvant are administered concomitantly. The invention also relates to vaccines, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and uses employing said polypeptides, adenoviral vectors and adjuvants.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel HIV polypeptide and polynucleotide fusions of Gag, Pol and Nef which are useful in immunogenic compositions and vaccines. The invention relates in particular to a polypeptide which comprises Nef or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and p17 Gag and/or p24 Gag or immunogenic fragments thereof, wherein when both p17 and p24 Gag are present there is at least one HIV antigen or immunogenic fragment between them. The polypeptide may also comprise Pol or RT or an immunogenic fragment thereof.

Abstract: A preform carrying apparatus including: a rotary disk; a fixed plate disposed opposite to the rotary disk; first and second cams provided on the fixed plate; a support arm which can freely expand and contract in the radial direction from the rotary disk, the base end of which is rockably supported by the rotary disk, and which is provided with a first cam follower which is guided by the first cam and a second cam follower which is guided by the second cam; and a coupling disposed at the forward end of the support arm so as to removably support the neck portion of the preform. The support arm is expanded and contracted in the longitudinal direction in accordance with the trailing position of the first cam follower and rocked around the base end as the fulcrum in accordance with the trailing position of the second cam follower. The feeding of the preform can be accelerated, decelerated or stopped during the continuous rotation of the rotary disk.

Abstract: A preform carrying apparatus including: a rotary disk; a fixed plate disposed opposite to the rotary disk; first and second cams provided on the fixed plate; a support arm which can freely expand and contract in the radial direction from the rotary disk, the base end of which is rockably supported by the rotary disk, and which is provided with a first cam follower which is guided by the first cam and a second cam follower which is guided by the second cam; and a coupling disposed at the forward end of the support arm so as to removably support the neck portion of the preform. The support arm is expanded and contracted in the longitudinal direction in accordance with the trailing position of the first cam follower and rocked around the base end as the fulcrum in accordance with the trailing position of the second cam follower. The feeding of the preform can be accelerated, decelerated or stopped during the continuous rotation of the rotary disk.

Abstract: A blow mold includes first and second mold halves pivotally mounted about a pivot shaft and including boundary faces which engage with each other to form an internal chamber used to blow mold a hollow article. A locked member is located on the end of the first mold half opposite to the pivot shaft and is for locking relative to the second mold half when the boundary faces are engaged by each other. A locking member is movably supported by the end of the second mold half opposite to the pivot shaft, and is for locking the locked member when the boundary faces are brought into contact with each other and to unlock the locked member before the boundary faces are separated apart from each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting thermoplastic blanks into shaped articles has a wheel-shaped conveyor which carries an outwardly extending link for a coupling which can engage successive blanks of a series of blanks during advancement along a first portion of its endless path. The blank is transported through a heating unit and thereupon enters the cavity of a mold to be converted into a shaped article which is removed from the mold and is delivered to an article receiving unit. The blank heating unit, the mold and the article receiving unit are respectively adjacent to second, third and fourth portions of the endless path. The conveyor can be driven at a variable speed and in stepwise fashion to be decelerated during advancement of a blank through the heating unit and to come to a halt while the blank is being converted into a shaped article. Alternatively, the link can be pivoted in and counter to the direction of rotation of the conveyor to thus accelerate or decelerate the coupling relative to the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the conveyance of preforms through a heating station to a stretching and blowing machine during the production of hollow articles from thermoplastic plastics materials, means of which preforms having different neck diameters can be heated satisfactorily and extremely uniformly without major modification of the apparatus. This is achieved by providing two endless toothed sections extending parallel to each other and have preform pick-up means mounted thereon. The preforms are collected and retained in position by the pick-up means as they pass through the heating station. The mutual spacing of the belts and, hence, of the pick-up means from one another and from the heating devices is adjustable. A further pair of endless drive belts are provided which rotate the preforms at desired circumferential speed about their own axes as they pass through the heating device so as to promote an even distribution of the heat in the preforms.

Abstract: A stretching and blow-molding apparatus for producing hollow bodies from thermoplastic plastics material comprises a rotatable blow wheel assembly on which a number of molds are mounted. Each mold comprises two mold halves mounted on a common pivot. The apparatus includes a locking device which has a frame-like configuration and comprises a continuous shaft which passes through a set of aligned bores formed in pawls provided on the external surface of one mold half and a locking member which comprises a plurality of locking sections disposed in aligned bores formed in pawls provided on both mold halves, which pawls are interdigitated in the locked position. The uppermost and lowermost locking sections are connected to the continuous shaft. Vertical movement of the continuous shaft or of the locking section causing corresponding vertical movement of the other. The individual locking sections have a length corresponding to the length of the bore in each pawl and end-abut one another.

Abstract: An arrangement for opening and closing mold halves of a blow mold is disclosed. The blow mold generally forms part of a stretching and blowing machine for blow-molding hollow bodies from thermoplastic plastics materials.The mold halves are coupled to driven rocker arms, which are driven by driving rocker arms of a four-link gear, the pivot of the four-link gear being disposed immediately at the end of the common pivotal axis of the mold halves.The driving rocker arm of the four-link gear is formed by cylinders, which are provided with cam tracks on their external curved surfaces in which rollers mounted on a sliding cam controller travel.

Abstract: In a hose and pipe coupling having a coupling head and a nozzle which is insertable therein and which is lockable therewith by a locking element inserted in the coupling head, wherein the locking element consists of a spring-elastic ring having a slit and onto which are formed two oppositely directed arcuate spring arms embracing the coupling head and starting from the slit, and the coupling head having a slit-shaped circumferential opening for receiving a plug as well as an internal annular groove for the partial reception of the spring-elastic ring, the nozzle at the coupling side being provided with an annular groove for at least partially receiving the spring-elastic ring in the connected condition of the nozzle, wherein the improvement consists of a protective cap displaceably arranged on the coupling head so that after the nozzle and coupling head are connected together, the cap is slid over the elastic ring. The elastic ring includes gripping knobs formed on the outer ends of its spring arms.

Abstract: A method for producing a welded and quench hardened steel pipe and pipe whereby the weld seam running spirally or longitudinally along the pipe length has a lower austenization temperature than the pipe and/or a higher electrical resistance. The ratio of the pipe to seam resistance is preferably greater than one half and the whole of the square of the ratio between pipe wall thickness and mean seam thickness. The seam preferably includes amounts of C, Si, and Mn in the same percentage as the pipe plus nickel between 2-6%.

Abstract: A coupling particularly suitable for connecting hoses and pipes having a coupling head with an internal annular groove adjacent to its input opening and a locking means disposed within that annular groove for locking to a nozzle. The locking means comprises an elastic annular spring member which has a pair of counter directed annular spring arms that define a slot in the spring member. The arms encompass the coupling head while the spring member is disposed within the internal annular groove of the coupling head through a slot-like circumferential opening. The nozzle includes a cone formed on its circumference and an annular groove formed adjacent to the cone so that when the nozzle is inserted into the coupling head the cone will spread the elastic annular spring member allowing the spring member to be finally disposed around the annular slot within the nozzle. Several variations of the annular spring member are also shown.