Abstract: A sensing device, apparatus and system, and method for operating the same are provided. The sensing apparatus includes a first module and a second module. The first module includes a controller, a transmitter and an array of sensor elements. The controller is capable of activating one or more sensor elements in the array independently of others in the array, in order to obtain a sensor output from the array at different times by using different sensor elements in said array. The transmitter is configured to transmit sensor data derived from the sensor output from the first module to a receiver of the second module. Each sensor element is a biological sensor for detecting the presence of the same analyte in the environment in which the sensor array is to be deployed.

Abstract: The invention provides materials and methods relating to G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) oligomers. Complexes of two or more GPCRs associated with G-proteins are provided. Also provided are fusion proteins comprising a GPCR and a G-protein, nucleic acids, expression vectors and host cells. Methods of producing the complexes and fusion proteins of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: Determination of the morphology and motility of a population of cells in vitro is possible via a series of steps. The cells are imaged using a microscope and camera. A first frame of image data allows identification of parts of the image data corresponding to a cell or cells of interest. Cell morphology is determined from this data. A second frame of image data, captured subsequent to the first, allows the determination of the relative displacement of the cell or cells of interest. This provides motility data. The invention has particular application in male fertility investigations.

Abstract: An improved integrated optical device (5a-5g) is disclosed containing first and second devices (10a-10g; 15a, 15e), optically coupled to each other and formed in first and second different material systems. One of the first or second devices (10a-10g, 15a, 15e) has a Quantum Well Intermixed (QWI) region (20a, 20g) at or adjacent a coupling region between the first and second devices (10a-10g; 15a, 15e). The first material system may be a III-V semiconductor based on Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) or Indium Phosphide (InP), while the second material may be Silica (SiO2), Silicon (Si), Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3), a polymer, or glass.

Abstract: A method of compressing an image is described in which digital data signals in a 2-dimensional images are formed into an image data pyramid with a number of layers and each layer is processed to give a compressed encoding in an ordered list. The encoding with the largest quality gain factor is selected first and added to a compressed representation of the data array. This is repeated for the next largest gain factor and so on until a predetermined maximum is reached. Each layer of the image data pyramid corresponds to different frequency bands, the vector quantizations of these layers will only minimally interfere with one another. This allows a simple ordering of all possible gain contributions made by the compressed encodings, to the compressed representation. This in turn allows a straightforward selection of the compressed encodings having the largest quality gain factors, for compiling the compressed representation of the image.

Abstract: The present invention is based upon the finding that the protein p300 has acetylation activity which is directed to the retinoblastoma tumour suppressor protein pRb by the presence in the cell of the adenovirus E1A protein. This represents a target for modulators of the cell cycle, to which end the invention provides an assay for a modulator of acetylation of pRb by p300, which comprises: a) bringing into contact a p300 protein a pRb protein and a putative modulator compound under conditions where the p300 protein, in the absence of said modulator is capable of acetylating the pRb protein; b) providing conditions for acetylation of said pRb protein; and c) measuring the degree of inhibition of acetylation caused by said modulator compound.

Abstract: An assay for the detection of haptoglobin (Hp) in milk using an Hp-specific antibody as a means to predict or detect mastitis or subclinical mastitis by way of Hp being an associated marker and/or to test the quality of milk, in, for example, dairy cattle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to receptor/reporter fusion protein based assays for detecting the effect test compounds have on a particular membrane receptor, as well as to receptor/reporter fusion proteins for use in such assays and compounds identified by the assays as having interesting/useful effects. Suitable membrane receptors are growth factor receptors, cytokine receptors, ion channels and integrins including any subtypes, mutants, homologs and chimeric forms of such receptors. The assay may be to study G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs).

Abstract: The invention provides hyperactive mutant recombinases and hybrid mutant recombinases, and methods for their identification. Also provided are nucleic acids encoding hyperactive mutant recombinases and hybrid recombinases, as well as vectors and host cells. Host cells include eukaryotic cells capable of expressing said recombinases and carrying out site-specific recombination in the cell. The mutant recombinases may be used, for example, in biotechnology, gene therapy or transgenic applications.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a phosphorylcholine-containing glycoprotein in the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases associated with inflammation. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of ES-62 for the treatment or prophylaxis of autoimmune diseases associated with abnormal inflammation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the temperature of an object. The apparatus includes a device for establishing a standing wave pattern or radiation emanating from the object and a coupling device for coupling the radiation to a detector, such as a measuring radiometer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an in situ method of screening a compound for pharmacological activity comprising the steps of detecting an initial pattern of neural activity in brain tissue, adding the compound to the brain tissue and detecting a resulting pattern of neural activity, and observing the pharmacological activity of the compound on neural activity by comparing the initial pattern of intracellular neural activity with the resulting pattern of neural activity.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a method by which to form molecule recognizing films on sensor electrodes efficiently, within a short period, uniformly and in a high quality state. Another object of this invention is to provide a method by which to accurately introduce a vast number of biological samples for evaluation to the plural minute sensor electrode dots within a short period and efficiently. In order to form organic thin films on electrodes, a solution of a material for the organic thin film is accurately printed via an ink-jet onto the surface of microelectrodes as required, thereby producing a high density array of microelectrodes. Further, a solution of a sample substance or a liquid substance to be sensed is ejected into air via an ink-jet nozzle to fall to the surface of organic thin membranes on the microelectrodes so that the sample is evaluated.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of manufacturing of optical devices, for example, semiconductor optoelectronic devices such as laser diodes, optical modulators, optical amplifiers, optical switches, and the like. There is further disclosed Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits (OEICs) and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) including such devices. According to the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing an optical device (40), a device body portion (15) from which the device (40) is to be made including a Quantum Well Intermixing (QWI) structure (30), the method including the step of plasma etching at least part of a surface of the device body portion (5) prior to depositing a dielectric layer (51) thereon so as to introduce structural defects at least into a portion (53) of the device body portion (5) adjacent the dielectric layer (51). The structural defects substanially comprise “point” defects.

Abstract: Photonic switch working in Momentum-Division-Multiple-Access (MDMA) mode for microwave and optical wavelengths based upon the measurement of the spin, orbital angular momentum and total angular momentum of the involved photons. For the optical wavelengths Dove prisms and holograms are used in form of a Mach-Zehnder-Interferometer as selectors; for the microwave wavelengths phased-array antennas with double orthogonal dipoles act as selectors.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for measuring the temperature of an object such as a food object. Also, a related method, container, transportation member and production line which utilizes this apparatus. The apparatus includes a coupling device for coupling radiation emanating from the object to at least a first radiation temperature measuring radiometer, and a first device for switching measurement circuitry between measuring the radiation temperature of at least a first reference temperature and the radiation temperature of the object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting an agent for use in the treatment of herpes virus infection and use of known agents, such as 2,2?-dithiobisbenzamide (DIBA) and azodicarbonamide (ADA), and unknown agents, which selectively eject zinc bound to a zinc finger protein, for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of herpesvirus infections.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved optical device (110), such as a laser, modulator, amplifier, switch, ore the like. The invention provides an optically active device (110) comprising: an optically active region (150) having an input/output end (165); and an optically passive region (155, 160) extending from said input/output end (165, 170) of the optically active region (150) an input/output end (175, 180) of the device (110).

Abstract: An anaesthesia control system and a method of calculating an index representative of the depth of anaesthesia is disclosed. The method comprises subjecting a patient to a repetitive audio stimulus and monitoring and auditory evoked potentials (AEP) produced by the patient and then recording these auditory evoked potentials using EEG recording means and providing a signal corresponding to the coarseness of the monitored AEP signal and using this signal as an index indicative of anaesthetic depth. The raw AEP signal is divided into a series of sweeps and each sweep is synchronized with the repetitive audio stimulus and sweeps are recorded in sequence to produce a time averaged sweep from which the anaesthetic index is calculated. The anaesthetic index is constantly updated by repeatedly conducting a successive series of sweeps.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a live mutant Leishmania in the preparation of a vaccine and to vaccine formulations for use in immunizing mammals, such as dogs and/or humans. The mutant Leishmania comprises at least one defective cysteine proteinase gene.