The present invention provides a method for producing a sulfonate ester efficiently and in high yield. The present invention is an invention of a method for producing a sulfonate ester compound, which comprising reacting: (a) a compound having a sulfo group (—SO3H); and(b) a compound having a group represented by the general formula [1]: —OR1 [1] [wherein, R1 represents a sulfonyl group represented by the general formula [2]: —SO2—R2 [2] (wherein, R2 represents a halogen atom, a haloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, or an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group) or an acyl group represented by the general formula [3]: (wherein, R3 represents an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group)]; in the presence of an organic base which is capable of forming a salt with said sulfo group.

An organic light emitting device includes a substrate; a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer including an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The organic layer includes a first intermediate layer including a first host and a first dopant, a second intermediate layer including the first dopant, and a third intermediate layer including a second host and the first dopant interposed between the first electrode and the emission layer. The organic light emitting device has a long lifetime.

The invention relates to an electronic circuit and a method for feeding power to at least one electrode of an alternating-current electric-arc furnace, particularly for melting metal. Known circuits of this type typically comprise a series connection with a transformer for providing a supply voltage for the electric-arc furnace from a power grid (1) and a AC power controller (8) connected between the transformer (6) and the electrode (11) for regulating the current through the electrode (11). According to the invention, a further development for such electronic circuits is proposed, which development has a simple design, is inexpensive and prevents overload of the AC power controller (8) even in operating modes of the electric-arc furnaces at high electrode currents. This further development provides to bypass the AC power controller with a bypass switch (9) that is opened or closed with the help of a controller as a function of the amount of current flowing through the electrode (11).

An apparatus for casting metals by a nucleated casting technique to create a preform, the apparatus including a mold having a base and a side wall where the base can be moved relative to the side wall to withdraw the preform as it is being created. In various circumstances, portions of a droplet spray created by an atomizing nozzle, i.e., overspray, may accumulate on a top surface of the side wall and prevent or inhibit the preform from being moved relative to the side wall. The atomizing nozzle can be oriented such that the droplet spray passes over the top of the side wall to remelt and remove at least a portion of the overspray that has accumulated thereon. The mold can be rotated such that the overspray formed on a region of or on the entire perimeter of the top surface can pass through the droplet spray and can be removed from the side wall.

Disclosed herein are a graphite crucible for electromagnetic induction-based silicon melting and an apparatus for silicon melting/refining using the same, which performs a melting operation by a combination of indirect melting and direct melting. The crucible is formed of a graphite material and includes a cylindrical body having an open upper part through which a silicon raw material is charged into the crucible, and an outer wall surrounded by an induction coil, wherein a plurality of slits are vertically formed through the outer wall and an inner wall of the crucible such that an electromagnetic force created by an electric current flowing in the induction coil acts toward an inner center of the crucible to prevent a silicon melt from contacting the inner wall of the crucible.

A graphite crucible for electromagnetic induction-based silicon melting and an apparatus for silicon melting/refining using the same, which performs a melting operation by a combination of indirect melting and direct melting. The crucible is formed of a graphite material and includes a cylindrical body having an open upper part through which a silicon raw material is charged into the crucible, and an outer wall surround by an induction coil, wherein a plurality of first slits are vertically formed through the outer wall and an inner wall of the crucible, and a plurality of second slits are vertically formed from an edge of the disc-shaped bottom of the crucible toward a center of the bottom.

A method for refining and casting metals and metal alloys includes melting and refining a metallic material and then casting the refined molten material by a nucleated casting technique. The refined molten material is provided to the atomizing nozzle of the nucleated casting apparatus through a transfer apparatus adapted to maintain the purity of the molten refined material. An apparatus including a melting and refining apparatus, a transfer apparatus, and a nucleated casting apparatus, in serial fluid communication, also is disclosed.

An electrode for a resistance analytical furnace has a crucible-engaging surface and an end spaced from the crucible-engaging surface having a plurality of grooves formed therein. A manifold mounted on the end of the electrode defines a dust recovery plenum and includes an outlet communicating with the plenum for coupling to a vacuum source to remove debris from the electrode. The improved electrode and electrode cleaning manifold positioned on the electrode provides a turbulent airflow for removal of dust and debris from an analytical furnace.

Structure of a cross universal joint is achieved in which the fact that an excessive torque was applied to a universal joint due to a collision accident or mishandling can be easily determined afterwards. Protrusions 20, which are straight lines as seen from the outside surface sides of linking arm sections 15c of a yoke 12c, are formed on the outside surfaces of the linking arm sections 15c. When an excessive torque acts and the linking arm sections 15c are plastically deformed, the protrusions 20 change from a straight line to a non-straight line. From this change it is possible to easily confirm that an excessive torque has been applied to a cross universal joint that includes this yoke 12c. Moreover, when the space between the inside surfaces of the linking arm sections 15c is taken to be D, and the length in the axial direction of the linking arm sections 15c is taken to be L, the dimensions of the parts of the yoke 12c are regulated so that the relation 3

A coupling means (10) provided with a first member (20) suitable for being fastened to a first rotary part (2) and with a second member (30) suitable for being fastened to a second rotary part (3), the first member (20) being provided with a first diaphragm (22) and the second member (30) being provided with a second diaphragm (32) that is secured to the first diaphragm (22). An emergency torque transmission device comprises at least one bayonet system including a protuberance (50) secured to one member (30) and co-operating with an angled groove (60) secured to the other member (20) by being inserted in the angled groove (60) by a thrust-and-rotation movement, in the absence of said breakage said coupling means (10) including both axial clearances in compression (70') and in translation (70″) and also circumferential clearance between each protuberance (50) and walls defining the corresponding angled groove (60).

A starting device of a spark-ignition multi-cylinder engine is provided. The device includes a multi-cylinder engine body having cylinders, fuel injection valves, ignition plugs, an intake valve drive mechanism for opening and closing intake valves, a hydraulic variable valve phase mechanism for changing a close timing of each intake valve, an engine-driven hydraulic pressure supply source for supplying a hydraulic pressure, and a start controller for controlling the fuel injection valves, the ignition plugs, and the variable valve phase mechanism. When the supplied hydraulic pressure is below a predetermined pressure, the variable valve phase mechanism locks the close timing. When an engine temperature in an engine-start is high, the start controller retards a fuel injection timing of the cylinder on intake stroke at an engine stopped timing and retards an ignition timing thereof. The start controller does not retard the close timing of the intake valve until the engine-start completes.

A fixed type constant velocity universal joint has pairs of track grooves, each pair forming a wedge angle (α). The wedge angle (α) includes a wedge angle (α0) formed, when an operating angle is 0°, with respect to each of torque transmitting balls arranged in a joint center plane, and opening to the same side in an axial direction for all pairs of track grooves. Further, the pairs of track grooves are mirror-image symmetrical with each other when the operating angle is 0°.

An in-line coupling device for a motor driven agricultural system utilizes less metal components while optimizing torque transfer. The device comprises a puck having a plurality of outwardly extending arms, a first shaft hub having outwardly extending flanges adapted to seat between a pair of the plurality of outwardly extending arms, and a second shaft hub having outwardly extending flanges adapted to seat between a pair of the outwardly extending arms.

A system and methods are provided for controlling a motor of a rod pumping system using previous RPMs of the motor and predicting an RPM of the motor; correcting a power factor of a motor of a rod pumping system; allocating energy consumption and allocating energy generation for a set of wells connected to an electricity meter using an amount of energy generated by each well; and generating an alert if a set of data is beyond a threshold for the set of data.

A robotic apparatus for machining tenons on turbine buckets of a steam turbine machine is disclosed. The robotic apparatus includes a machining device having a spindle head. A robotic arm is coupled to the machining device and a base member is coupled to the robotic arm. The base member is mounted independently of the machine element. A vision system is provided for locating the tenon on the turbine bucket. A control system is coupled to the vision system, the machining device and the robotic apparatus. The control system is configured to control movement of the robotic apparatus and the machining device based upon vision system data and spatial information about the tenon and the turbine bucket.

A vision correction method for establishing the position of a tool center point (TCP) for a robot manipulator includes the steps of: defining a preset position of the TCP; defining a preset coordinate system TG with the preset position of the TCP as its origin; capturing a two-dimensional picture of the preset coordinate system TG to establish a visual coordinate system TV; calculating a scaling ratio λ of the vision coordinate system TV relative to the preset coordinate system TG; rotating the TCP relative to axes of the preset coordinate system TG; capturing pictures of the TCP prior to and after rotation; calculating the deviation ΔP between the preset position and actual position of the TCP; correcting the preset position and corresponding coordinate system TG using ΔP, and repeating the rotation through correction steps until ΔP is less than or equal to a maximum allowable deviation of the robot manipulator.

Monitoring and optimizing a state of an electrical grid are provided. An approach for synchronizing state information and context information, associated with one or more electrical devices on an electrical grid, with time information is provided. The state information is from one or more phasor measurement units (PMUs) associated with the one or more electrical devices, and the context information is from one or more third party servers. The approach further includes notifying one or more subscribing devices of the synchronized state information and the synchronized context information such that the one or more subscribing devices monitors and controls the one or more electrical devices based on the synchronized state information and the synchronized context information.

Complexes of heterocyclic radionuclides are prepared based upon ligands having substituted pyridyl and imidazolyl groups. The ligands are bifunctional, having amino acid residues that may act as a linker to a bioactive molecu le, and a tridentate chelator that may complex the radionuclide. The bioactive molecule may be a peptide or somatostatin.

The present invention relates to lithium salt-containing rare earth halide solutions in aprotic solvents, processes for production thereof and also use thereof.

Methods and compositions for the deposition of a film on a substrate. In general, the disclosed compositions and methods utilize a precursor containing calcium or strontium.

A light absorption anisotropic film, wherein content of a liquid crystalline non-colorable low molecular weight compound is 30% by mass or less; and which is obtained by fixing the alignment of a dichroic dye composition comprising at least one type of azo-based dichroic dye having nematic liquid crystallinity; and shows a diffraction peak derived from a periodic structure in a direction parallel to the alignment axis on measurement of X-ray diffraction. The light absorption anisotropic film is high in dichroism.

The present invention relates to an (amide amino alkane) metal compound represented by the formula (1): wherein M represents a metal atom;R1 represents a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms;R2 and R3 may be the same as, or different from each other, and each independently represents a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or R2 and R3 may form a substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6-membered ring together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound;Z represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms (a part of which may optionally form a ring); andn represents a number of the ligands, which is equal to the valence of the metal (M), and represents an integer of from 1 to 3; with the proviso that the metal compounds in which M is Li (Lithium), Be (Beryllium), Ge (Germanium) or Nd (Neodymium) are excluded;the metal compounds in which M is Mg (Magnesium) and R1 is methyl group are excluded;the metal compounds in which M is Zn (Zinc) and R1 is methyl group are excluded;the metal compounds in which M is Bi (Bismuth) and R1 is t-butyl group are excluded; andin cases where n is two or greater, two or more ligands may be the same as, or different from each other; and a method of producing a metal-containing thin film using the metal compound.

Novel radiopharmaceuticals that are useful in diagnostic imaging and therapeutic treatment of disease characterized by over expression of CA-IX comprise a complex that contains a sulfonamide moiety which is capable of binding the active catalytic site of CA-IX, and a radionuclide adapted for radioimaging and/or radiotherapy:

This invention relates to novel Ln(III) complexes of pybox, and methods of making the same. The present invention also relates to a method of use of pybox as a chelating moiety and sensitizer for Ln(III) ion luminescence. Derivatives of pybox and methods of making the same are also provided.

Disclosed is a spectrofluorimetrically detectable luminescent composition consisting essentially of at least one energy transfer acceptor lanthanide(III) complex having an emission spectrum maximum in the range from 300 to 2000 nanometers and a luminescence-enhancing amount of at least one energy transfer donor selected from the group consisting of a fluorophore, a lumiphore, an organic compound, a salt of an organic ion, a metal ion, a metal ion complex, or a combination thereof. Such energy transfer donor enhances the luminescence of at least one energy transfer acceptor lanthanide(III) complex, with the conditions that the emission spectrum of any energy transfer donor differs from that of its energy transfer acceptor lanthanide(III) complex; and such energy transfer donor can be dissolved to form a unitary solution in a solvent having an evaporation rate at least as great as that of water.

A light absorption anisotropic film, having at least one dichroic dye, in which the light absorption anisotropic film shows a diffraction peak derived from a periodic structure in a direction in a plane of the light absorption anisotropic film in X-ray diffraction measurement and the diffraction peak has a half width of 1.0 Å or less.

Disclosed is an azo compound represented by the formula (1) below, a salt thereof, or a copper complex salt compound thereof. (In the formula, R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a sulfonic acid group, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxyl group; R3-R6 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxyl group; R7 represents a lower alkyl group or a lower alkoxyl group; and n represents 0 or 1.)

A liquid-crystal compound denoted by general formula (I) below wherein each of the groups is defined and Dye denotes an azo dye residue denoted by general formula (II) with X and n also being defined. The azo liquid-crystal compound is capable of orientation with a high degree of orientation order.

Porphyrin compounds are provided. The compounds may further comprise a fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon or a fused heterocyclic aromatic. Fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon s and fused heterocyclic aromatics may extend and broaden absorption, and modify the solubility, crystallinity, and film-forming properties of the porphyrin compounds. Additionally, devices comprising porphyrin compounds are also provided. The porphyrin compounds may be used in a donor/acceptor configuration with compounds, such as C60.

A hypoxia contrast medium including nitroimidazole-amino acid chelate with a positively charged radioactive nuclide, a preparation method and use thereof. The contrast medium can be used in imaging cerebral thrombosis, tumors or other diseases such as ulceration, thrombosis, and so on.

A method and apparatus for transporting syringes containing radioactive material. The apparatus includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an inner chamber in which a sharps container can be secured. The sharps container has a housing and an attachable cap. The method includes assembling the radiopharmaceutical pig so that the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the syringe in the sharps container housing. The radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, where upon the syringe is removed, discharged, and then replaced in the sharps container housing. The cap of the sharps container is affixed to the housing of the sharps container, thus enclosing the contaminated syringe therein. The radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled so that its chamber contains the sharps container and the syringe. The radiopharmaceutical pig is transported to a disposal area, where it is disassembled and the sharps container containing the syringe is placed in a particular disposal container.

The present invention relates to a process to dissolve plutonium or a plutonium alloy, by placing it in contact with an aqueous dissolution mixture, wherein said dissolution mixture comprises nitric acid, a carboxylic acid with complexing properties with respect to plutonium, and a compound comprising at least one —NH2 radical such as urea. The invention also relates to a process to convert plutonium or a plutonium alloy into plutonium oxide and to manufacture nuclear fuel from said oxide.The invention particularly applies to the dismantling of plutonium contained in nuclear weapons with a view to its use in civilian nuclear reactors, particularly in the form of MOX fuel.

A method and apparatus for transporting syringes containing radioactive material. The apparatus includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an inner chamber in which a sharps container can be secured. The sharps container has a housing and an attachable cap. The method includes assembling the radiopharmaceutical pig so that the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the syringe in the sharps container housing. The radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, where upon the syringe is removed, discharged, and then replaced in the sharps container housing. The cap of the sharps container is affixed to the housing of the sharps container, thus enclosing the contaminated syringe therein. The radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled so that its chamber contains the sharps container and the syringe. The radiopharmaceutical pig is transported to a disposal area, where it is disassembled and the sharps container containing the syringe is placed in a particular disposal container.

The invention provides a method of separating uranium from at least fission products in irradiated nuclear fuel, said method comprising reacting said irradiated nuclear fuel with a solution of ammonium fluoride in hydrogen fluoride fluorinating said reacted irradiated nuclear fuel to form a volatile uranium fluoride compound and separating said volatile uranium fluoride compound from involatile fission products. The invention thus provides a reprocessing scheme for irradiated nuclear fuel. The method is also capable of reacting, and breaking down Zircaloy cladding and stainless steel assembly components. Thus, whole fuel elements may be dissolved as one thereby simplifying procedures over conventional Purex processes.

A method and apparatus for transporting syringes containing radioactive material. The apparatus includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an inner chamber in which a sharps container can be secured. The sharps container has a housing and an attachable cap. The method includes assembling the radiopharmaceutical pig so that the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the syringe in the sharps container housing. The radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, where upon the syringe is removed, discharged, and then replaced in the sharps container housing. The cap of the sharps container is affixed to the housing of the sharps container, thus enclosing the contaminated syringe therein. The radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled so that its chamber contains the sharps container and the syringe. The radiopharmaceutical pig is transported to a disposal area, where it is disassembled and the sharps container containing the syringe is placed in a particular disposal container.

A method and apparatus for transporting syringes containing radioactive material. The apparatus includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an inner chamber in which a sharps container can be secured. The sharps container has a housing and an attachable cap. The method includes assembling the radiopharmaceutical pig so that the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the syringe in the sharps container housing. The radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, where upon the syringe is removed, discharged, and then replaced in the sharps container housing. The cap of the sharps container is affixed to the housing of the sharps container, thus enclosing the contaminated syringe therein. The radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled so that its chamber contains the sharps container and the syringe. The radiopharmaceutical pig is transported to a disposal area, where it is disassembled and the sharps container containing the syringe is placed in a particular disposal container.

The flexible glove holder (1) includes a flat structure (13) with three branches (2, 3 and 4) forming an S-shape on which the glove is wound. The holder (1) is then pushed into the opening of the glove box. This rapid action method makes it possible to avoid knotting the gloves when they must be drawn toward the outside for an operation within the box and also allows the implementation of biological protection on the opening of the glove box as well as a protection of the agents against radiation.

A method for recovery of residual actinide element from chloride molten salts that are formed after electro-refining and/or electro-winning of a spent nuclear fuel and include actinide elements and rare-earth elements is provided. The method comprises conducting electrolysis using a liquid cadmium cathode (LCC) in the chloride molten salt that is formed after electro-refining and/or electro-winning of a spent nuclear fuel and contains rare-earth elements and actinide elements; electro-depositing the actinide elements contained in the chloride molten salt on the LCC in order to reduce a concentration of the actinide elements; and adding a CdCl2 oxidant to the chloride molten salt containing the LCC-metal alloy in order to oxidize the rare-earth elements co-deposited on the LCC, thereby forming the rare-earth chlorides in the chloride molten salt.

A method for design of a fuel assembly for nuclear reactors, including structural components made from zirconium alloy: the mean uniaxial tensile or compressive stress to which the components are subjected during the assembly life is calculated, the zirconium alloy of which the components are made is selected according to the following criteria: those components subjected to an axial or transverse compressive stress of between −10 et −20 MPa are made from an alloy with a content of Sn between Sn=(=0.025σ−0.25)% and Sn=−0.05σ%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 et −10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=traces and Sn=(0.05σ+1)%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 and +10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=0.05% and Sn=(0.07σ+1)%: and those components subjected to such a stress of between +10 and +20 MPa are made from an alloy the content of SN of which is between 0.05% and 1.70%. A fuel assembly made according to the method.

An apparatus for treating a radioactive nitrate waste liquid includes: a denitrification tank (12) that accommodates active sludge which adsorbs or takes in a radioactive substance in a nitrate waste liquid (11) containing nitrate and the radioactive substance and in which an anaerobic microorganism that reduces the nitrate to nitrogen gas grows; a reaeration tank (14) that aerates and mixes a denitrification-treated liquid (24) treated in the denitrification tank (12) with the active sludge in which the aerobic microorganism grows; and a sludge dissolution tank (81) that dissolves redundant sludge (26A, 26B) discharged from the denitrification tank (12) and the reaeration tank (14). Acetic peracid (80) is supplied to the sludge dissolution tank (81) to dissolve redundant sludge, a sludge lysate is supplied to the denitrification tank (12) as a carbon source (22), and acetic acid is supplied to the denitrification tank (12).

A reactor installation tool and method for installing a reactor unit in a reactor tube. A reactor installation tool including a movable assembly and a fixed assembly linked together such that the movable assembly can be adjusted relative to the fixed assembly. The movable assembly including a reactor sleeve attachment means for releasably securing a reactor sleeve loaded with a reactor unit to the tool. The fixed assembly including an expandable clamping unit for releasably securing the tool to a reactor tube. A reactor unit can be installed in the reactor tube by adjusting the movable assembly to extract the reactor unit from the reactor sleeve as the fixed assembly is rigidly secured to the reactor tube. The fixed assembly can be released from the reactor tube and the reactor installation tool can be removed from the reactor tube.

A fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus attaches a fine motion control rod drive mechanism having a control rod drive mechanism body, a spool piece, a motor bracket and a motor unit to a reactor pressure vessel, and detaches it from the reactor pressure vessel. The fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus is provided with a bolt wrench assembly, a motor unit attachment mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for meshing a first gear of a first gear coupling on a spool piece side with a second gear of a second gear coupling on a motor unit side, and a rotation mechanism mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for rotating the motor unit attachment.

Provided herein are pharmaceutical formulations containing exendins, exendin agonists, or exendin analog agonists that are administered at therapeutic plasma concentration levels over a sustained period of time to lower total cholesterol levels; to lower LDL-cholesterol levels; to lower triglyceride levels; to treat dyslipidemia; to treat and slow the progression of atherosclerosis; and to treat, prevent, and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients. In the pharmaceutical formulations and methods of the invention, the exendin may be exendin-4, an exendin-4 agonist, or an exendin-4 analog agonist. The pharmaceutical formulations may be polymer-based pharmaceutical formulations that may be administered once weekly. An exemplary pharmaceutical formulation comprises 5% (w/w) of exenatide, about 2% (w/w) of sucrose, and about 93% (w/w) of a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) polymer, wherein the poly(lactide-co-glycolide) polymer is in the form of microspheres encapsulating the exenatide.

Acylated insulins wherein an acyl moiety is attached to the parent insulin and wherein the acyl moiety comprises repeating units of alkylene glycol containing amino acids and wherein there is only one lysine residue (K & Lys) in the parent insulin, having satisfactory properties when administered pulmonary.

Cyclic CRF antagonist peptides having improved properties of “drugability”. The peptides are 33 residues in length with a lactam bond between the residues in position 22 and 25; however, they may be N-terminally shortened by up to 3 residues.

To provide a diagnostic and therapeutic medicament, a bombesin analog peptide antagonist conjugate is provided which has general Formula (I), wherein A is a metal chelator comprising at least one radionuclide metal, B is a spacer linked to N-terminal of C or a covalent bond and C is a bombesin analog peptide antagonist having a sequence as claimed, where further x is an integer from 1 to 3 and n is an integer from 1 to 6. [A-(B)n]x—C (I)

Human antibodies, preferably recombinant human antibodies, that specifically bind to human interleukin-12 (hIL-12) are disclosed. Preferred antibodies have high affinity for hIL-12 and neutralize hIL-12 activity in vitro and in vivo. An antibody of the invention can be a full-length antibody or an antigen-binding portion thereof. The antibodies, or antibody portions, of the invention are useful for detecting hIL-12 and for inhibiting hIL-12 activity, e.g., in a human subject suffering from a disorder in which hIL-12 activity is detrimental. Nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for expressing the recombinant human antibodies of the invention, and methods of synthesizing the recombinant human antibodies, are also encompassed by the invention.

The present invention relates to novel muteins derived from human lipocalin 2 (hNGAL) and related proteins that bind a given non-natural ligand with detectable affinity. The invention also related to corresponding nucleic acid molecules encoding such a mutein and to a method for their generation. The invention further relates to a method for producing such a mutein. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a lipocalin mutein as well as to various uses of the mutein.

The present invention relates to a hypoallergenic molecule consisting of Bet v Ia or an allergen having at least 40% identity to Bet v Ia comprising mutations of at least four amino acid residues in the region of amino acids 100 to 125 of Bet v Ia or its corresponding region of the allergen having at least 40% identity to Bet v 1a.

A composition having proanthocyanidin compounds having an average degree of polymerization of at least about 6. A method of administering to an immunosuppressed patient or a patient diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock a composition having a proanthocyanidin. A method of administering to a patient diagnosed with a gram negative bacterial infection a composition having proanthocyanidin compounds having an average degree of polymerization of at least about 6.