Abstract: The invention relates to new methods of moving helicases past spacers on polynucleotides and controlling the loading of helicases on polynucleotides. The invention also relates to new methods of characterising target polynucleotides using helicases.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a ring interconnect are disclosed. The ring interconnect has a plurality of nodes that are used to connect to associated components, and is arranged to transport a plurality of slots around the ring interconnect between the nodes in order to transfer items of traffic allocated into those slots between components connected to the nodes. For each item of traffic, one of the components acts as a source to allocate that item of traffic into a slot, and another components acts as destination to seek to remove that item of traffic from the slot. In a default mode of operation, the ring interconnect is arranged to allow all of the slots to be available for transfer of any items of traffic.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target RNA polynucleotide by taking one or more measurements as the target RNA polynucleotide moves with respect to a transmembrane pore. The movement is controlled by a DNA helicase. The invention also relates to a modified RNA construct wherein the RNA polynucleotide has been modified to increase DNA helicase binding thereto.

Abstract: A vehicular exhaust filter comprising a porous substrate having an inlet face and an outlet face with the porous substrate comprising inlet channels extending from the inlet face and outlet channels extending from the outlet face is disclosed. The inlet channels and the outlet channels are separated by a plurality of filter walls having a porous structure. The vehicular exhaust filter is loaded with a refractory powder having a tapped density before loading of less than 0.10 g/cm3 and the vehicular exhaust filter has a mass loading of the refractory powder of less than 10 g/l.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removably plugging a wellbore. The wellbore leads to a reservoir having a reservoir temperature. The method includes: selecting a melting point of a metal alloy based on the reservoir temperature; sealing the metal alloy against an interior wall of a tubing, while the tubing is above a ground in which the wellbore is drilled, such that the metal alloy defines a fluid barrier plug against flow of any portion of the reservoir through the tubing when the tubing is disposed within the wellbore; and heating the metal alloy above the melting point while the tubing is disposed within the wellbore such that the metal alloy flows from the tubing and the fluid barrier plug is eliminated.

Abstract: An interrupt controller comprises issue circuitry to issue interrupt requests to a processing element and control circuitry to detect presence of a race condition in association with at least one pending interrupt request to be issued, and to set a barrier indicator when the race condition has been resolved. In response to the race condition being present, the issue circuitry is configured to select one of the at least one pending interrupt requests, to issue to the processing element the selected pending interrupt request followed by a dummy request over a path that ensures that the processing element receives the selected pending interrupt request prior to receiving the dummy request. On receiving an acknowledgement indicating that the processing element has received the dummy request, the control circuitry is then configured to set the barrier indicator.

Abstract: A biochemical analysis system analyses polymers by taking measurements of a polymer from a sensor element comprising a nanopore during translocation of the polymer through the nanopore. When a polymer has partially translocated, the series of measurements is analysed using reference data derived from a reference sequence to provide a measure of similarity. Responsive to the measure of similarity, the sensor element may be selectively operated to eject the polymer and thereby make the nanopore available to receive a further polymer. Where the biochemical analysis system comprises an array of sensor elements and is takes measurements from sensor elements selected in a multiplexed manner, responsive to the measure of similarity, the biochemical analysis system ceases taking measurements from the currently selected sensor element and to starts taking measurements from a newly selected sensor element.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence, absence or amount of two or more target polynucleotides in a sample comprising additional components, the method comprising: (i) contacting the sample with a panel of two or more probes under conditions suitable for hybridisation of the target polynucleotides to the probes, wherein: (a) each probe comprises a non-hybridisation region and a hybridisation region that specifically hybridises to one of the target polynucleotides to form a hybridised probe; and (b) the hybridisation region of a probe of the panel comprises one or more non-natural nucleotides; (ii) contacting the sample prepared in step (i) with a transmembrane pore through which a single stranded polynucleotide but not a double stranded polynucleotide can pass and applying a potential difference to the transmembrane pore such that the hybridised probes in the sample interact with the pore; (iii) measuring current blockades having a duration within a defined window, wherein: (a) the one or more non-natural nuc

Abstract: A repairable seal assembly for deployment at a wellbore includes an elongate body, a first seal carried by the elongate body and configured to seal against an adjacent surface, and a transitional component carried by the elongate body. The transitional component is adjustable from a first configuration in which the transitional component defines a gap between the transitional component and the adjacent surface to a second configuration in which the transitional component contacts the adjacent surface to form a second seal at the adjacent surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling an ensemble of interacting toy construction models. The interacting toy construction models include toy construction elements having functional toy construction elements, the toy construction elements include coupling members configured for detachably interconnecting the toy construction elements with each other. The functional toy construction elements may perform a function in compliance with a configuration defining a functional behaviour. The method includes configuring the functional toy construction elements in the interacting toy construction models based on information on further functional toy construction elements in said interacting toy construction model to coordinate their functional behaviour in a model-behaviour; and further adapting the model-behaviour based on information on further interacting toy construction models in the ensemble.

Abstract: Novel coated bulking agent particles for reduction of calories in fat-based food products comprising sugar. A coated bulking agent particle comprising from 2 wt % to 70 wt % bulking agent and from 30 wt % to 98 wt % coating composition comprising sugar and surface active agent; wherein the ratio of sugar to surface active agent in the composition is from 2000:1 to 4:1 and from 50 wt % to 100 wt % of the sugar is in crystalline form; wherein the bulking agent is coated with the coating composition; an agglomerated coated bulking agent particle; a process of preparing the particles and a fat-based confection composition comprising the coated bulking agent particles.

Abstract: A modular toy system comprising a plurality of separate electronic toy modules, each electronic toy module comprising a function device operable to perform a user-perceptible function and a control circuit for controlling the function device; wherein at least a first electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules comprises a first control circuit, a first function device and a sensor system configured for contactless detection of respective coordinate values of at least two coordinates, each coordinate being indicative of a position or an orientation of at least a second electronic toy module of the plurality of electronic toy modules relative to the first electronic toy module; and wherein the first control circuit is configured to control operation of the first function device based on one or more of the detected coordinate values.

Abstract: A vehicular exhaust filter comprising a porous substrate having an inlet face and an outlet face with the porous substrate comprising inlet channels extending from the inlet face and outlet channels extending from the outlet face is disclosed. The inlet channels and the outlet channels are separated by a plurality of filter walls having a porous structure. The vehicular exhaust filter is loaded with a refractory powder having a tapped density before loading of less than 0.10 g/cm3 and the vehicular exhaust filter has a mass loading of the refractory powder of less than 10 g/l.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target ribonucleic acid (RNA) involving forming a complementary polynucleotide. The method uses a transmembrane pore.

Abstract: Circuitry comprises a set of two or more data handling nodes each having respective storage circuitry to hold data; and a home node to serialise data access operations and to control coherency amongst data held by the one or more data handling nodes so that data written to a memory address is consistent with data read from that memory address in response to a subsequent access request; in which: a requesting node of the set of data handling nodes is configured to communicate a request to the home node for exclusive access to a given instance of data at a given memory address; and the home node is configured, in response to the request, to communicate information to other data handling nodes of the set of data handling nodes to control handling, by those other data handling nodes, of any further instances of the data at the given memory address which are held by those other data handling nodes.

Abstract: A method for repairing a leak in a cement sheath of a casing of a well. A portion of the inner casing and the cement sheath is removed to create an opening that extends through the inner casing and the cement sheath. A tool is inserted within the inner casing to a location adjacent to the opening and one or more segments of a heat-deforming material that are part of the tool is heated to cause melting of the heat-deforming material. The tool is configured to direct the melted heat-deforming material radially outward into the opening. Once cooled, the heat-deforming material plugs the opening, thereby repairing the leak within the cement sheath.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for removably plugging a wellbore. The wellbore leads to a reservoir having a reservoir temperature. The method includes: selecting a melting point of a metal alloy based on the reservoir temperature; sealing the metal alloy against an interior wall of a tubing, while the tubing is above a ground in which the wellbore is drilled, such that the metal alloy defines a fluid barrier plug against flow of any portion of the reservoir through the tubing when the tubing is disposed within the wellbore; and heating the metal alloy above the melting point while the tubing is disposed within the wellbore such that the metal alloy flows from the tubing and the fluid barrier plug is eliminated.

Abstract: A vehicular exhaust filter (2) comprising a porous substrate having an inlet face and an outlet face with the porous substrate comprising inlet channels extending from the inlet face and outlet channels extending from the outlet face is disclosed. The inlet channels and the outlet channels are separated by a plurality of filter walls having a porous structure. The vehicular exhaust filter (2) is loaded with a refractory powder having a tapped density before loading of less than 0.10 g/cm3 and the vehicular exhaust filter has a mass loading of the refractory powder of less than 10 g/l.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target RNA polynucleotide by taking one or more measurements as the target RNA polynucleotide moves with respect to a transmembrane pore. The movement is controlled by a DNA helicase. The invention also relates to a modified RNA construct wherein the RNA polynucleotide has been modified to increase DNA helicase binding thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method of characterising a target ribonucleic acid (RNA) involving forming a complementary polynucleotide. The method uses a transmembrane pore.