Abstract:
A sensitive assay for an analyte employing an acoustic wave sensor. A label which has a higher dissipative capacity than the analyte is adhered to the sensing surface of an acoustic wave sensor through the analyte such that the body of the label is spaced apart from and anchored to the surface of the acoustic wave sensor by a distance of 15 to 250nm. The change in the energy losses or the frequency or phase of the acoustic wave when the label binds to the sensing surface is used to measure the presence or amount of the label. A substantial improvement in the detection limit of the label is obtained. The analyte may for example be a nucleic acid and the label may for example comprise liposomes.
Abstract:
The present invention concerns a non-human transgenic animal comprising a modification in its genome which results in the animal exhibiting a level of Erf expression and/or ERF activity which is reduced compared to a wildtype animal, wherein said animal has a defect in ossification. Further provided is a non-human transgenic animal comprising an insertion of a promoter-marker gene cassette in one or both Erf alleles wherein the cassette is present in an intron of Erf and wherein said animal exhibits an expression level of Erf and/or ERF activity which is reduced compared to a wildtype animal. Uses of these animals and of a non-human transgenic animal comprising a modification in its genome which results in the animal exhibiting a level of expression of Erf and/or ERF activity which is reduced compared to a wildtype animal for producing animals with ossification defects, for identifying treatments and as disease models are encompassed.
Abstract:
A method of making a fuel for a portable heater comprises heating a salt of iron with a carboxylic acid at a temperature from about 400 o C to about 700 o C under an inert or reducing atmosphere to produce a composite material comprising carbon and iron nanoparticles. The fuel may be mounted to a substrate, such as a mesh or foil, and incorporated into a self-heating packaging. Typically, the packaging comprises a wall defining a chamber that, in use, contains a substance to be heated, e.g. a foodstuff or liquid. A heating manifold in thermal communication with the chamber contains the fuel in the inert atmosphere to initially inhibit production of heat otherwise arising from substantial oxidation of substantially all the fuel in the manifold in an exothermic reaction. A vent in the manifold is initially sealed and air-tight, but selectively opening of the vent allows oxidation of the iron nanoparticles. The chamber is then heated by the transfer of heat from the fuel to the chamber, the transfer of heat being by at least one of direct thermal conduction through the wall, thermal convection or indirect thermal heating arising from heating of a fluid medium that is introduced into the chamber.
Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for microfabricating precision patterns of biopolymers onto solid substrates by means of laser transfer are disclosed. The method involves the use of ultrafast laser pulses for transferring target biopolymer material, dimensioned according to the focal spot of the laser, from one surface of a transparent support onto the opposite positioned surface of receiving substrate. Repeating the transfer process at different target and substrate positions results in the production of extended patterns such as arrays of features or localized coatings. The apparatus is designed to produce the patters of biopolymers on solid substrates in an automated fashion. The method and the apparatus are of particular utility in producing devices for biological and biochemical assay systems such as biosensors and microarrays.
Abstract:
Portable ribozyme cassettes are described which can be incorporated into restriction enzyme cleavage sites of any desired DNA sequence. Thus, highly selective ribozymes (antizymes) are provided. Additionally, methods for the production of these portable ribozyme cassettes, DNA sequences containing them and encoding biologically active ribozymes are described. Also described are compositions containing such ribozymes or DNA sequences encoding them.
Abstract:
Apparatuses, methods and systems for estimating water diffusivity and microcirculation of blood using DW-MRI data ("AEW") are disclosed herein. The apparatuses, methods and systems provide a computational framework for choosing and applying the most appropriate model in different regions of a heterogeneous area on a voxel-by-voxel basis. The apparatuses, methods and systems also configure an intravoxel-incoherent-motion (IVIM) model for estimating water diffusivity and microcirculation of blood in the capillary network from DW-MRI low b-value data. In one implementation, the method uses a small number of b-values (at least 3 in the b-value range of 0-300 s/mm 2 , increasing the upper bound of the low b-value range by one b-value in the absence of DW-MRI signal at 300 s/mm 2 and is able to synthetically generate DW-MRI data corresponding at higher b-values using the derived IVIM equation. The method also accounts for estimating non-Gaussian diffusion parameter K app .
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a catalyst comprising (a) a polymer, which has a weight-average molecular weight in the range of from 1000 g/mol – 100000 g/mol and which polymer comprises 50 wt-% - 99.9 wt-% of units derived from one or more non-functionalized monomeric units A, 0.1 wt-% - 50 wt-% of units derived from one or more functionalized monomeric units B, 0 wt-% - 30 wt-% of units derived from one or more cross-linking monomeric units C, wherein monomeric units A are selected from (meth)acrylates and monomers co-polymerizable with (meth)acrylates; wherein monomeric units B are selected from (meth)acrylates and monomers co-polymerizable with (meth)acrylates, which contain one or more phosphorous and/or nitrogen containing uncharged electron donors as coordinative groups; and wherein cross-linking monomeric units C are selected from compounds which comprise at least two olefinically unsaturated double bonds co-polymerizable with A and/or B; and (b) a catalytically-active metal compound that is bound to one or more phosphorous and/or nitrogen containing uncharged electron donors of said polymer. Furthermore, the invention relates to corresponding polymers of afore-mentioned catalyst, a process for producing the catalyst and the polymer as well as the use of the catalyst in homogeneous and/or heterogeneous catalysis.
Abstract:
This invention in describes a method which effectively removes the contribution of the boundaries, in essence converting finite diffusive volumes into infinite diffusive volumes of the same absorption and scattering properties. The advantages of such an approach are many, since it opens a new revolutionary way of treating measurements in diffusive media. By making use of such an approach the data can be propagated and backpropagated anywhere in spaces and will enable the use of infinite-case Green functions for solving the inverse problem. This transformation will enable to retain the accuracy of complex numerical methods while boosting the implementation simplicity and computational speed required for obtaining 3D images in diffusive media.
Abstract:
Nucleotide sequences are described which can be used for target RNA-specific construction of asymmetric hammerhead ribozymes having high catalytic activity. Further, methods for the production of these asymmetric ribozymes and DNA sequences encoding them as well as compositions containing such ribozymes or DNA sequences are described.
Abstract:
The invention provides a complex comprising at least one hydrophobic active agent, an ionic polymer comprising a repetitive unit of formula (I): 5 I wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a straight or branched chain alkyl group, preferably a straight or branched chain alkyl group comprising from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, for example a methyl group; R2 represents a straight or branched chain alkyl group which is substituted by a group which may have a positive charge at a physiological pH wherein the ionic polymer is a homopolymer or a random copolymer, wherein the repetitive unit of formula (I) in a random copolymer comprises (dimethylamino)ethyl 10 methacrylate, wherein the molar proportion of (dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate repetitive units to the total number of repetitive units in a random copolymer is greater than 50%, and wherein the at least one hydrophobic active agent has a molecular weight of from 100 to 1500 g/mol; a complex for use in a method of medical treatment; a pharmaceutical composition; and a method of preparing a complex or pharmaceutical composition according to the invention which method comprises the steps of: 15 (a) dissolving the hydrophobic active agent and the ionic polymer in one or more non‐aqueous solvents to form the complex wherein the one or more non‐aqueous solvents are miscible with water; and (b) progressively replacing the one or more non‐aqueous solvents with water.