We claim:
1. A composition for modulating the immune response in a subject comprising a mutein of interleukin-1 (IL-1) having reduced toxicity to a human compared to the corresponding wild-type IL-1.
2. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said IL-1 is IL-1.
3. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said IL-1 is mature IL-1.
4. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said IL-1 is human IL-1.
5. The composition according to claim 1, wherein a positively charged residue of said IL-1 has been replaced with any of the other 17 natural amino acids.
6. The composition according to claim 5, wherein said positively charged residue is arginine or lysine.
7. The composition according to claim 6, wherein said IL-1 is mature human IL-1 and wherein said positively charged residue replaced is arginine at position 127.
8. A method of modulating the immune response of a subject to a vaccine antigen comprising administering an effective amount of interleukin-1 (IL-1) mutein having reduced toxicity, in concurrent or sequential combination with said vaccine antigen.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said IL-1 is IL-1.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said IL-1 mature IL-1.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said IL-1 is human IL-1.
12. The method according to claim 8, wherein a positively charged residue of said IL-1 has been replaced with any of the other 17 natural amino acids.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said positively charged residue is arginine or lysine.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said IL-1 is mature human IL-1 and wherein said positively charged residue replaced is arginine at position 127.
15. The method according to claim 8, wherein said vaccine antigen is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, hormones and glycoproteins.
16. The method according to claim 8, wherein said vaccine antigen is selected from the group consisting of viral antigen, fungal antigen, parasitic antigen, bacterial antigen, allergen, auto-immune related antigen and tumor-associated antigen.
17. The method according to claim 8, wherein said IL-1 mutein is administered by a method selected from the group consisting of mucosally, intramuscularly and subcutaneously.
18. The method according to claim 8, wherein said IL-1 mutein is administered in a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.
19. The method according to claim 8, wherein said subject is a vertebrate.
20. The method according to claim 8, wherein said subject is human.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for producing an aerated confectionary mass, the apparatus comprising:
a supply for a raw confectionery mass;
an aeration unit comprising a stator and a rotor wherein gas is incorporated into the confectionery mass within a space between the stator and the rotor;
a feed pump for feeding the confectionery mass to the aeration unit at a feed rate, wherein the feed rate of the feed pump results in a dwell time of the confectionery mass in the aeration unit;
a control unit configured to control rotational speed of the rotor in the aeration unit in response to the feed rate of the feed pump, wherein the control unit is configured to increase the rotational speed of the rotor in response to an increased feed rate and shortened dwell time of the confectionery mass in the aeration unit; and
means for controlling temperature of the confectionery mass during aeration in the aeration unit to keep the temperature substantially unchanged.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further comprising a depositor hopper with a level indicator configured to generate a signal indicating demand of the production line, wherein the aerated confectionery mass is dispensed from the aeration unit into the depositor hopper, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the feed rate of the feed pump according to the demand of the production line.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the production line comprises a pressurized manifold through which the confectionary mass is filled into molds of a molding line under pressure.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the rotor of the aeration unit is configured to stir and knead the confectionery mass containing the introduced gas, the rotational speed of the rotor being controlled by the control unit such that the rotational speed of the rotor is reduced for lower feed rates.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a back-pressure regulating valve arranged in an outlet line from the aeration unit, wherein the back-pressure generated by the valve is controlled by a control unit to enhance the back pressure for higher feed rates and to reduce the back pressure for lower feed rates.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rotor of the aeration unit is configured to stir and knead the confectionery mass containing the introduced gas, the rotational speed of the rotor being controlled by the control unit such that the rotational speed of the rotor is reduced for lower feed rates.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a back-pressure regulating valve arranged in an outlet line from the aeration unit, wherein the back-pressure generated by the valve is controlled by a control unit to enhance the back pressure for higher feed rates and to reduce the back pressure for lower feed rates.
8. An apparatus for producing an aerated confectionary mass, the apparatus comprising:
a supply for a raw confectionery mass;
an aeration unit comprising a stator and a rotor wherein gas is incorporated into the confectionery mass within a space between the stator and the rotor;
a feed pump for feeding the confectionery mass to the aeration unit at a feed rate, wherein the feed rate of the feed pump results in a dwell time of the confectionery mass in the aeration unit;
a measurer configured to measure an amount of aerated confectionery mass demanded by a production line;
a control unit configured to (1) control the feed rate of the feed pump according to demand of the production line, (2) control the rotational speed of the rotor according to the feed rate, and (3) control the cooling power to a cooling unit so that the temperature of the confectionery mass during aeration in the aeration unit is substantially unchanged;
wherein the control unit controls the rotational speed of the rotor and cooling power according to empirical tables, and wherein the control unit is configured to increase the rotational speed of the rotor in response to an increased feed rate and shortened dwell time of the confectionery mass in the aeration unit.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, the apparatus further comprising a depositor hopper with a level indicator configured to generate a signal indicating the demand of the production line, wherein the aerated confectionery mass is dispensed from the aeration unit into the depositor hopper.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the production line comprises a pressurized manifold through which the confectionary mass is filled into molds of a molding line under pressure.
11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the rotor of the aeration unit is configured to stir and knead the confectionery mass containing the introduced gas, the rotational speed of the rotor being controlled by a control unit such that the rotational speed of the rotor is reduced for lower feed rates.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a back-pressure regulating valve arranged in an outlet line from the aeration unit, wherein the back-pressure generated by the valve is controlled by a control unit to enhance the back pressure for higher feed rates and to reduce the back pressure for lower feed rates.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the rotor of the aeration unit is configured to stir and knead the confectionery mass containing the introduced gas, the rotational speed of the rotor being controlled by a control unit such that the rotational speed of the rotor is reduced for lower feed rates.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a back-pressure regulating valve arranged in an outlet line from the aeration unit, wherein the back-pressure generated by the valve is controlled by a control unit to enhance the back pressure for higher feed rates and to reduce the back pressure for lower feed rates.
15. An apparatus for producing an aerated confectionary mass, the method comprising:
a supply for a raw confectionery mass;
an aeration unit;
a feed pump for feeding the confectionery mass to the aeration unit at a feed rate, wherein the feed rate of the feed pump results in a dwell time of the confectionery mass in the aeration unit;
a gas injector for injecting a gas into the aeration unit;
a rotor disposed within the aeration unit for kneading the confectionary mass and dispersing the gas throughout the confectionary mass in the form of gas bubbles;
a control unit configured to control (1) a feed rate of the feed pump according to a demand of a production line that is indicated downstream of the aeration unit, (2) a rotational speed of the rotor according to the feed rate, and (3) cooling power to a cooling unit according to rotational speed of the rotor; and
a level detector downstream of the aeration unit, the level detector configured to send a signal to the control unit indicating a demand of the production line, the control unit being configured to control the feed rate of the feed pump in response to the signal of the level detector;
wherein the control unit is programmed to adjust the feed rate, rotational speed of the rotor, and cooling power to meet the demand of the production line while maintaining the size of all of the gas bubbles below about 50 \u03bcm, and
wherein the control unit is configured to increase the rotational speed of the rotor in response to an increased feed rate and shortened dwell time of the confectionery mass in the aeration unit.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the control unit enhances rotational speed of the rotor in response to increases in demand and feed rate according to empirical tables and reduces rotational speed of the rotor in response to decreases in demand and feed rate according to empirical tables.
17. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a back-pressure regulating valve arranged in an outlet line from the aeration unit, wherein the back-pressure generated by the valve is controlled by a control unit to enhance the back-pressure for higher feed rates and to reduce the back-pressure for lower feed rates.
18. The apparatus according to claim 15, the apparatus further comprising a depositor hopper downstream of the aeration unit, and the depositor hopper includes the level indicator.