Author: claimsbot

1-9. (canceled)
10. A vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a recombinant CD40L polypeptide consisting of amino acid residues 21-261 of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said vector is pARGCD40L.
11-24. (canceled)
25. A dendritic cell which preferentially induces a population of CD28+ CD45RA\u2212 memoryeffector T cells from a population of antigen-specific T cells.
26. A vaccine comprising the dendritic cell of claim 25.
27. A method for preparing mature dendritic cells (DCs), comprising the sequential steps of:
(a) signaling isolated immature dendritic cells (iDCs) with a first signal comprising an interferon gamma receptor (IFN-\u03b3R) agonist and a TNF-\u03b1R agonist to produce IFN-\u03b3R agonist signaled dendritic cells; and
(b) signaling said IFN-\u03b3R agonist signaled dendritic cells with a second transient signal comprising an effective amount of a CD40L polypeptide to produce CCR7+ mature dendritic cells; wherein the CD40L polypeptide consists essentially of amino acid residues 21-261 of SEQ ID NO:2 or is a polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to amino acid residues 21-261 of SEQ ID NO:2.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the CD40L protein is encoded by an RNA corresponding to the cDNA of SEQ ID NO:30 or SEQ ID NO:33, or a variant which differs due to codon degeneracy, wherein said RNA is optionally capped andor polyadenylated.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein the dendritic cell is transfected with an mRNA encoding the CD40L polypeptide.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein the dendritic cell is mature at the time of transfection.
31. The method of claim 27, further comprising contacting said iDCs andor said signaled DCs with PGE2.
32. The method of claim 27, wherein steps (a) and (b) further comprise contacting said cells with GM-CSF and at least one of IL-4 or IL-13.
33. The method of claim 27, wherein the cells in step (a) are contacted with TNF-\u03b1.
34. The method of claim 33, further comprising contacting the cells in step (a) with PGE2.
35. The method of claim 27, wherein the IFN-\u03b3R agonist is IFN-\u03b3.
36. The method of claim 27, wherein the first signal comprises IFN-\u03b3, TNF-\u03b1 and PGE2.
37. The method of claim 27, wherein the first signal comprises IFN-\u03b3, TNF-\u03b1 and PGE2 and step (b) comprises transfecting said dendritic cells with an RNA encoding said CD40L polypeptide.
38. The method of claim 27, further comprising contacting the immature dendritic cells andor IFN-\u03b3R agonist signaled dendritic cells andor CCR7+ mature dendritic cells with a compound selected from the group consisting of: galactosylceramides, glycosylceramides, galactofuranosylceramides, arabinopyranosylceramides, \u03b1-C-galactosylceramides and \u03b1-S-galactosylceramides.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein the compound is a galactosylceramide.
40. The method of claim 39, wherein the galactosylceramide is (2S,3S,4R)-1-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)-2-(N-hexacosanoylamino)-1,3,4-octadecanetriol (KRN7000).
41. The method of claim 27, wherein the CD40L polypeptide consists of amino acid residues 21-261 of SEQ ID NO:2.

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. A delivering tap, for a \u201cbag in box\u201d type liquid vessel, the delivering tap comprising:
a) a substantially-cylindrical elongated body equipped with an end comprising rings adapted to perform a seal on a mouth with which the vessel bag is equipped, and with an opposite end comprising cam means, the elongated body further comprising a planar member placed in a plane which is perpendicular to an axis of the body; and
b) a plug comprising a cylindrical end and an operating knob equipped with engaging means of the cam means, the plug being adapted to be operatively connected to the end of the body in order to assume, when driving the cam means, an opening position in which liquid contained in the vessel is delivered and a closing position of the vessel;
where the plug is made in a single piece;
where the plug is equipped with tamper-preventing warranty sealing means adapted to signal a possible tampering when opening the tap; and
where the body is equipped with housing means adapted to contain the tamper-preventing warranty sealing means.
2. A delivering tap according to claim 1, where the tamper-preventing warranty sealing means comprises at least one ring that surrounds the cylindrical end and that is connected to the knob through a plurality of connecting members, the connecting members being adapted to be detached from the knob or the ring or both the knob and the ring upon first rotating the plug when opening.
3. A delivering tap according to claim 2, where the housing means of the tamper-preventing-warranty sealing means comprises one or more than one groove adapted to immovably house the ring.
4. A delivering tap according to claim 1, where the cam comprises two walls, the walls being projecting outside a surface of the end of the body and being spirally wound around the end of the body.
5. A delivering tap according to claim 1, where the body and the cylindrical end of the plug are in mutual contact in two or more than two sealing points, in each one of the sealing points the surface of the body in contact with the cylindrical end being plane and the surface of the cylindrical end in contact with the body being spherical.
6. A process for manufacturing a delivering tap according to claim 1, the process comprising the steps of:
a) injection-molding the body;
b) molding the plug by providing an injection mold comprising two half-molds separated by a separation surface, the two half-molds comprising a fixed half-mold having inserted an injector or injecting bush, and comprising a movable half-mold and having inserted an expulsion device c) placing the plug to be molded next to the separation surface between the half-molds;
d) closing the injection mold;
e) injecting material for making the plug into the mold;
f) beginning to open the mold next to a separating area of the half-molds;
g) removing the movable half-mold;
h) simultaneously with the step of removing the movable half-mold, dragging saddles outwards, the saddles connected through slanted pegs to the movable half-mold, the saddles being used for making the sealing means, thereby freeing the sealing means;
i) simultaneously with dragging the saddles, freeing the front part of the plug;
where the fixed half-mold is connected to a female member in which two insert members are inserted, the insert members being integral with the female member and remaining inserted in the female member and unmoving on the fixed mold side, the insert members functioning to create, during coupling with an external male part being present on the movable half-mold, internal teeth of the knob of the plug and to tear away an end part of the injection spot;
j) simultaneously, dragging, through the movable half-mold and by means of a connecting member between the two half-molds, an intermediate male part being present on the fixed mold part, by means of a mold plate, thereby realizing a first forward advancement of the plug;
k) continuing to open the mold, thereby actuating a hydraulic extractor connected to a rear mold area in order to operate on mold members adapted to completely free the plug from the inserts being present on the fixed half-mold; and
l) completing the mold closure through the hydraulic extractor which, being anchored to the rear mold part through a threaded bar, drags in an opposite movement various plates and small tables completing the closure.

1. A therapeutic electrostimulation apparatus for use in a treatment session having first and second portions, the apparatus including in combination: a source of bipolar pulses of a first predetermined frequency; first, second and third amplitude control circuits each having an input and each having an output, with the inputs of the first, second and third amplitude control circuits coupled to the source of bipolar pulses at the first predetermined frequency; a first source of modulating control signals to yield a first modulating frequency which is less than the first predetermined frequency; a second source of modulating control signals to yield modulating frequencies at the first modulating frequency and a second modulating frequency; a third source of modulating control signals to yield modulating frequencies at the first modulating frequency and within a diapason of third modulating frequencies; the first source of modulating control signals coupled with the first amplitude control circuit to cause the amplitude of bipolar pulses in successive groups of bipolar pulses to vary in accordance with a predetermined asymmetrical pattern at the first modulating frequency throughout the first and second portions of a treatment session; a first set of output electrodes coupled with the output of the first amplitude control circuit for use as transcranial electrostimulation output electrodes; the second source of modulating control signals coupled with the second amplitude control circuit for modulating the output of the second amplitude control circuit with the first modulating frequency during the first portion of a treatment session and with the second modulating frequency during the second portion of a treatment session; a second set of output electrodes coupled with the output of the second amplitude control circuit for use as spinal cord electrostimulation output electrodes; the third source of third modulating control signals coupled with the third amplitude control circuit for modulating the output of the third amplitude control circuit with the first modulating frequency during the first portion of a treatment session and with frequencies within the diapason of third modulating frequencies during the second portion of a treatment session; and a third set of output electrodes coupled with the output of the third amplitude control circuit for use as peripheral area electrostimulation output electrodes.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of the amplitude control circuits causes the bipolar pulses to have a greater amplitude in a first portion of each group of pulses and to have a lesser amplitude in a second portion of each group of pulses.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the amplitude of the pulses in the first portion of each group of pulses has an amplitude substantially three times the amplitude of the pulses in the second portion.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the first and second modulating frequencies are 77.5 Hz and 7.75 Hz, respectively.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the frequencies within the diapason of third modulating frequencies vary in a random pattern.
6. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the first modulation frequency is between 70 Hz and 85 Hz.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first and second modulating frequencies are 77.5 Hz and 7.75 Hz, respectively.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the frequencies within the diapason of frequencies vary in a random pattern.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the first modulation frequency is between 70 Hz and 85 Hz.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frequencies within the diapason of frequencies vary in a random pattern.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the amplitude control circuits cause the bipolar pulses to have a greater amplitude in a first portion of each group of pulses and to have a lesser amplitude in a second portion of each group of pulses.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the amplitude of the pulses in the first portion of each group of pulses has an amplitude substantially three times the amplitude of the pulses in the second portion.

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. A method of manufacturing a catalytic converter comprised of an outer tube, a monolith substrate and a mat material, wherein the mat material is positioned in a surrounding relation to the monolith substrate; the method comprising the steps of:
establishing a curve representative of the characteristics of the mat material;
gauging a combination of said monolith substrate and said mat material to establish a set of compression characteristics;
inserting said combination of said monolith substrate and said mat material into the outer tube;
determining a diameter of the outer tube necessary to assert a desired pressure on said combination based upon said curve and said set of compression characteristics; and
sizing the diameter of the outer tube so that the diameter is approximately equivalent to the determined diameter;
wherein said gauging step includes the steps of:
compressing said combination until a gauging desired pressure value is reached;
determining the displacement of the outer boundary of said combination at said desired pressure value;
releasing said combination from compression;
recompressing said combination until reaching the displacement of the outer boundary of said combination;
measuring the pressure asserted on said combination; and
releasing said combination from compression.
2. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gauging desired pressure value falls within a range of about 30% to 99% of the desired pressure.
3. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gauging desired pressure value falls within a range of about 30% to 98% of the desired pressure.
4. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gauging desired pressure value falls within a range of about 30% to 95% of the desired pressure.
5. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gauging desired pressure value falls within a range of about 30% to 90% of the desired pressure.
6. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said gauging desired pressure value falls in within a range of about 30% to 80% of the desired pressure.
7. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring the pressure asserted on said combination further includes the step of monitoring the pressure asserted on said combination until a substantially settled pressure value is achieved.
8. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 7 wherein said step of monitoring the pressure asserted on said combination until a substantially settled pressure value is achieved further includes the steps of populating a matrix of finite size with pressure values until said matrix is filed and then replacing the oldest values with the newest values until the newest value is substantially equal to the oldest value.
9. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of measuring the pressure asserted on said combination occurs approximately fifteen seconds after the recompressing step.
10. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein linear regression is utilized in said determining the diameter of the outer tube necessary to assert said desired pressure on said combination.
11. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 10 wherein a change in pressure is measured in said gauging step, said change in pressure being approximately equal to the difference between said desired pressure value and said measure pressure asserted on said combination and said curve has a slope at said determined displacement, wherein an offset may be determined by dividing said change in pressure by said slope, said offset and said curve combining to determine said diameter of said outer tube.
12. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein the establishing step includes the step of compressing at least a portion of a representative mat material encompassing a member to obtain a first set of force data.
13. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 12 wherein said member is a blank.
14. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 12 wherein said member is a representative monolith substrate.
15. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 12 wherein the compressing step includes advancing at least one contact pad a predetermined displacement into said mat material and collecting a pressure value following the elapsing of a predetermined time, advancing said at least one contact pad said predetermined displacement into said mat material and collecting a second pressure value following the elapsing of said predetermined time.
16. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 15 wherein said predetermined time is approximately equal to fifteen seconds.
17. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 12 wherein the establishing step includes the step of compressing at least a portion of a plurality of mat material encompassing a member to obtain a plurality of force data.
18. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 17 wherein said plurality of mat material differ in thickness.
19. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 17 wherein said plurality of mat material differ in weight.
20. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 17 wherein said plurality of force data is utilized to plot said curve.
21. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 12 further including the step of compressing a least a second portion of said representative combination in order to obtain a second set of force data.
22. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mat material is at least partially formed from an intumescent material.
23. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sizing step includes shrinking the outer tube member.
24. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sizing step includes expanding the outer tube member.
25. A method of manufacturing a catalytic converter comprised of a tube having a diameter and a combination including a monolith substrate and a mat material, the method comprising the steps of:
compressing a plurality of representative combinations including a representative mat material encompassing a member to obtain a set of data characterizing said representative combinations;
constructing a curve based upon said set of data;
compressing said combination to obtain a first set of data characterizing said combination;
recompressing said combination to obtain a second set of data characterizing said combination;
inserting said combination into said tube; and
sizing said tube in order to ensure friction created by contact between said combination and said tube substantially prevents the movement of said combination relative to said tube;
wherein the size to which said tube is altered is based upon said curve and said first set of data and said second set of data characterizing said combination.
26. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 25 wherein the size of said tube is determined using linear regression.
27. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 25 wherein the size of said tube is determined using quadratic regression.
28. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 25 wherein said compressing step includes advancing a contact pad a predetermined distance from said boundary of said mat material and measuring a force asserted against said contact pad following the elapse of a predetermined time and moving said contract pad to said relaxed position.
29. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 28 wherein said curve has a slope and said first set of data includes a first pressure value and said second set of data includes a second pressure value, the difference between said first pressure value and said second pressure value representing a pressure difference, and said pressure difference divided by said slope represents an offset utilized in determining the size of said tube.
30. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 25 wherein said combination is at least partially formed from an intumescent material.
31. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 29 wherein said representative combinations are at least partially formed from an intumescent material.
32. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 25 wherein said sizing of said tube includes shrinking said tube.
33. The method of manufacturing a catalytic converter as set forth in claim 25 wherein said sizing of said tube includes expanding said tube.
34. A method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters each comprising a tube member and a combination including a mat material and a monolithic substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
compressing at least a portion of a plurality of representative samples to obtain a first set of characteristic data of the mat material;
compressing at least a portion of a first combination, relaxing the compression and recompressing the at least a portion of said first combination to obtain a set of data characteristic of said first combination;
inserting said first combination into a first tube;
determining a target pressure asserted by said tube on said first combination;
calculating a desired size for said first tube to assert said target pressure upon said first combination, the calculation based upon said first set of characteristic data and said set of data characteristic of said first combination;
altering the size of at least a portion of said first tube so that said portion is approximately equivalent in size to said desired size for said first tube;
compressing at least a portion of a second combination, relaxing the compression and recompressing the at least a portion of said second combination to obtain a set of data characteristic of said second combination;
inserting said second combination into a second tube;
calculating a desired size for said second tube to assert said target pressure upon said second combination, the calculation based upon said first set of characteristic data and said set of data characteristic of said second combination; and
altering the size of at least a portion of said second tube so that said portion is approximately equivalent in size to said desired size for said second tube.
35. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 34 wherein said step of compressing at least a portion of said plurality of representative samples includes advancing a pad from a first position to a second position spaced apart from said first position and measuring at least a portion of said first set of data after a first predetermined amount of time has elapsed.
36. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 35 wherein said first combination is at least partially formed from an intumescent material.
37. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 36 wherein said second combination is at least partially formed from an intumescent material.
38. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 34 wherein said first set of characteristic data of the mat material represents an average of the of the data accumulating in testing all of said plurality of representative samples.
39. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 38 wherein said step of compressing of the first combination includes the steps of:
compressing said first combination until a gauging desired pressure value is reached;
determining the displacement of the outer boundary of said first combination at said desired pressure value;
releasing said combination from compression;
recompressing said combination until reaching the displacement of the outer boundary of said combination; and
measuring the pressure asserted on said combination.
40. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 34 wherein said altering steps includes shrinking the outer tubes.
41. The method of manufacturing a plurality of catalytic converters as set forth in claim 34 wherein said altering steps includes expanding the outer tubes.