Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas-redirecting device presenting an upper plane and a plurality of gas-redirecting tubes comprising an inlet end and an outlet end. For each gas-redirecting tube, the orthogonal projections of the inlet end and the outlet end onto the upper plane have an over-lapping area of at most 50% of the total area of the upper plane covered by the orthogonal projections. Also provided is a liquid-gas contacting column comprising a gas-redirecting device, a floating support comprising a liquid-gas contacting column, at least two packed beds and a method for improving the efficiency of a liquid-gas contacting column which is based on redirecting the gas from a wetted zone of a lower packed bed to a wetted zone of the higher packed bed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a column for exchanging material and, if appropriate, heat between a gas and a liquid. The column comprises at least one collector tray 1 and a liquid distribution system 5, 6 arranged between two packed beds 7, and gas and liquid separation means 8. The present invention proposes arranging gas and liquid separation means 8 between the collector tray 4 and the liquid distribution means 5, 6.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a column for exchanging heat and/or material between a gas and a liquid. The column comprises at least one collector tray (1), at least one packed bed, and mixing means for a gas flow (7, 8). According to the invention, the mixing means for a gas flow are arranged below the collector tray (1) and above the packing.

Abstract: The invention describes kit of parts of polypeptides comprising: a) a peptide comprising: a1) an MHC class II T cell epitope or a CD1 d-restricted NKT cell epitope, and a2) immediately adjacent to said epitope or separated by at most 7 amino acids from said epitope a [CST]-X(2)-C [SEQ ID NO:7] or C-X(2)-[CST] [SEQ ID NO:8] oxidoreductase motif sequence, and b) a polypeptide comprising: b1) a therapeutic protein and b2) the epitope defined in a1), wherein the epitope sequence is a sequence which differs from the sequence of the protein of b1). The therapeutic protein, in combination with the peptide, is used to prevent an immune response against the therapeutic protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to isolated immunogenic peptides comprising a MHC class II T cell epitope, and immediately adjacent or separated from said epitope a H-X(0,2)-C-X(2)-[CST] or [CST]-X(2)-C-X(0,2)-H redox motif.

Abstract: The application relates to methods for determining a parameter such as toxicity and pharmacokinetic behavior for a pharmaceutical compound against a disease or disorder. The test animals being used are non-human animals not suffering from or is not showing symptoms or signs of the disorder and which do not provoke an immune response against said pharmaceutical compound. These animals are obtainable by administration of a peptide comprising an oxidoreductase motif further comprising an NKT peptide epitope or an MCH class II T cell epitope of said pharmaceutical compound, wherein said motif and said epitope are separated by a linker of between 0 and 4 amino acids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of obtaining antigen-specific regulatory cells in vitro or in vivo. The regulatory cells are obtainable by inducing apoptosis of antigen-presenting cells by NKT cells. In particular, NKT cells are elicited, in vitro or in vivo, by exposure to CD1d-restricted NKT cell peptide epitopes either in natural configuration or modified as to contain a thioreductase motif within flanking residues. The present invention discloses methods to elicit immature antigen-presenting cells loaded with apoptotic cells or with apoptotic bodies for suppressing or preventing diseases such as autoimmune diseases, graft rejection and allergic diseases, and medicaments related thereto. Further disclosed are the use of antigen-specific regulatory cells for suppressing or preventing diseases such as autoimmune diseases, graft rejection and allergic diseases, and medicaments related thereto. Further disclosed are populations of antigen-specific regulatory cells obtained by this method.

Abstract: The present invention relates an in vitro method for detecting class II restricted CD4+ T cells in a sample. Herein a sample is contacted with an isolated complex of an MHC class II molecule and a peptide. This peptide comprises an MHC class II restricted T cell epitope of an antigenic protein and immediately adjacent thereof, or separated by a linker of at most 7 amino acids a sequence with a [CST]-xx-C or C-xx-[CST] motif. CD4+ T cells are detected by measuring the binding of the complex with cells in the sample, wherein the binding of the complex to a cell is indicative for the presence of CD4+ T cells in the sample. The present invention further relates to an isolated complex of an MHC Class II molecule and a peptide comprising an MHC class II restricted T cell epitope of an antigenic protein and immediately adjacent thereof, or separated by a linker of at most 7 amino acids a sequence with a [CST]-xx-C or C-xx-[CST] motif.

Abstract: A cryptographic calculation is carried out in an electronic component according to a specific cryptographic algorithm including at least one specified non-linear operation on blocks of data of k bits, k being a whole number of more than 2. Several blocks of masked intermediate data of j bits are generated from an initial block of data of k bits, j being a whole number that is smaller than k. Then a non-linear operation S is applied to at least one of the masked intermediate data blocks of j bits with the aid of a substitution table with 2 inputs producing a modified data block of j bits. The modified data block of j bits and at least some of the masked intermediate data blocks of j bits are combined to form a result block of k bits corresponding to the initial data block of k bits by means of a transformation including the specified non linear operation.

Abstract: A cryptographic calculation is carried out in an electronic component according to a specific cryptographic algorithm including at least one specified non-linear operation on blocks of data of k bits, k being a whole number of more than 2. Several blocks of masked intermediate data of j bits (b?m1,c?m2, ??n) are generated from an initial block of data of k bits (a), j being a whole number that is smaller than k. Then a non-linear operation S is applied to at least one of the masked intermediate data blocks of j bits (??n) with the aid of a substitution table (106) with 2 inputs producing a modified data block of j bits (S(?)?n?). The modified data block of j bits and some, at least the masked intermediate data blocks of j bits are combined to form a result block of k bits (a?) corresponding to the initial data block of k bits by means of a transformation including the specified non linear operation.

Abstract: The method of protecting an algorithm that can be decomposed into the form of initial polynomials (Pi) of at least two variables and of degree not less than two, comprises the steps of making combined polynomials (Qk) each obtained from at least two initial polynomials (Pi, Pi+1), and of storing the combined polynomials (Qk) in the form of a configuration file in a memory (3) associated with a processor unit (4).