Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for stabilizing fatty acids present in a sample such as bodily fluids. The present invention further relates to a solid medium which is capable of stabilizing fatty acids applied thereto, and a method for preparing same. The present invention further relates to a method for determining the fatty acid composition of a sample.

Abstract: A hybrid receiver-combustor (100) for capturing heat energy from a solar source and a fuel source. The hybrid receiver-combustor (100) includes a vessel (110) for acting both as a combustion furnace and as a solar receiver, and a plurality of burners (180) for combusting an oxidant stream, such as an air stream, and a fuel stream. The vessel (110) includes a casing (120) defining a cavity (125) having an aperture (130) for receiving the concentrated solar radiation from the solar source. The cavity (125) provides a chamber defining a zone (126) which can function as a combustion zone for production of heat energy through a combustion process using the fuel and into which concentrated solar radiation can be received from the solar source through the aperture (130). A heat energy absorber (190) configured as a heat exchanger is provided to receive heat energy from concentrated solar radiation entering the cavity (125) through the aperture (130) and from combustion within the cavity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of inducing or enhancing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject. The invention further includes isolated nucleic acid vaccines, cellular vaccines, fusion proteins, expression vectors, vaccines, and immunogenic compositions for use therein.

Abstract: A dual wavelength pumping system and method have been developed to improve the efficiency of laser systems operating in the raid infrared region has been developed, in a conventional system the ions are excited from a ground state to an upper lasing state using a light pump. They then undergo a laser transition to leave the ion in a long lived post lasing excited state from which it eventually decays back to the ground state. In contrast they present system uses a first light pump to pump ions from the ground state to the post lasing state, and a second light pump to pump ions from the post lasing state to the upper lasing state. This system thus exploits the long lifetime of the post lasing state to enable it to become a virtual ground state for the second laser allowing continued cycling of ions between the upper lasing state and the post lasing state. A system using an Erbium, doped fiber generated a 3.5 ?m laser output with an average power of over 250 mW and an initial slope, efficiency of 25.

Abstract: The present invention provides biological markers associated with gastric cancer. In particular, the present invention provides a method of diagnosing gastric cancer (GC) in a subject, the method including: measuring an expression level of one or more proteins in the subject, wherein the one or more proteins are selected from the group consisting of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), clusterin, insulin like growth factor binding protein complex acid labile subunit (IGFALS), and afamin; comparing the expression level of the or each protein in the subject to a reference expression level for the or each protein; and diagnosing GC in the subject on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the identification of biological markers of ovarian cancer. Specifically, cancer-associated autoantibodies to ANXA1, ARP3, SAHH, SERPH, ARAP1, OTUB1, ATP1A1, UBA1, and CFAH have been identified in subjects with early stage ovarian cancer. These autoantibodies can be utilised for a range of purposes including methods for detecting ovarian cancer, methods for screening for early stage ovarian cancer, and methods for assessing treatment response as well as disease progression and recurrence. The autoantibodies also represent prognostic markers of ovarian cancer development.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the prevention and/or treatment of metastatic cancer. Certain example embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for preventing and/or treating a metastatic cancer in a subject. The method comprises administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of a chemokine receptor CCX-CKR.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to transcriptional control sequences. Generally, the present invention relates to transcriptional control sequences that specifically or preferentially direct expression of a nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant egg cell. The present invention is predicated, in part, on the identification of transcriptional control sequences derived from EC1 genes which, in preferred embodiments, direct preferential expression in an egg cell of at least one plant taxon.

Abstract: A new class of biotin protein ligase (BPL) inhibitors that have antibacterial activity against multiple Staphylococcus aureus isolates, including clinically important methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are disclosed that are non-toxic.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of inducing or enhancing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject. The invention further includes isolated nucleic acid vaccines, cellular vaccines, fusion proteins, expression vectors, vaccines, and immunogenic compositions for use therein.

Abstract: A method and system for assessing the condition of a pipe carrying a fluid is disclosed. The method includes the steps of generating a pressure wave in the fluid being carried along the pipe and detecting a pressure wave interaction signal resulting from an interaction of the pressure wave with a localized variation in pipe condition. The method then involves determining from the timing of the pressure wave interaction signal the location of the localized variation in pipe condition and the extent of the localized variation in pipe condition based on a characteristic of the pressure wave interaction signal.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to polysaccharide synthases. The present disclosure reveals that a subset of the CesA gene family encode XynS xylan synthases. As a result of the identification of XynS nucleic acids, and corresponding amino acid sequences that encode XynS xylan synthases, the present invention provides, inter alia, methods and compositions for modulating the level and/or activity of xylan synthase in a cell and/or modulating the level of xylan produced by a cell.

Abstract: A hybrid receiver-combustor (100) for capturing heat energy from a solar source and a fuel source. The hybrid receiver-combustor (100) includes a vessel (110) for acting both as a combustion furnace and as a solar receiver, and a plurality of burners (180) for combusting an oxidant stream, such as an air stream, and a fuel stream. The vessel (110) includes a casing (120) defining a cavity (125) having an aperture (130) for receiving the concentrated solar radiation from the solar source. The cavity (125) provides a chamber defining a zone (126) which can function as a combustion zone for production of heat energy through a combustion process using the fuel and into which concentrated solar radiation can be received from the solar source through the aperture (130). A heat energy absorber (190) configured as a heat exchanger is provided to receive heat energy from concentrated solar radiation entering the cavity (125) through the aperture (130) and from combustion within the cavity.

Abstract: The present invention provides biological markers associated with gastric cancer. In particular, the present invention provides a method of diagnosing gastric cancer (GC) in a subject, the method including: measuring an expression level of one or more proteins in the subject, wherein the one or more proteins are selected from the group consisting of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), clusterin, insulin like growth factor binding protein complex acid labile subunit (IGFALS), and afamin; comparing the expression level of the or each protein in the subject to a reference expression level for the or each protein; and diagnosing GC in the subject on the basis of the comparison.

Abstract: A system for characterising a material is provided. The system includes an optical sensor including an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide having first and second ends and being characterised by having a numerical aperture greater than or equal to 0.2, and a microresonator including an optically active material, the microresonator being positioned in an optical near field of an end face of the first end of the optical waveguide such that the optically active material is excitable by light. The system further includes a light source for exciting the optically active material of the microresonator so as to generate whispering gallery modes (WGMs) in the microresonator and a light collector for collecting an intensity of light that is associated with the WGMs excited in the microresonator.

Abstract: An element for the amplification of a light by stimulated emission of radiation and a method of making the same is described herein.

Abstract: A method for immunizing a human or animal against pneumococcal infections, comprising by administering a vaccine comprising a purified recombinant caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) protein of S. pneumoniae in an immunologically effective amount to the human or animal.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to methods and transcriptional control sequences suitable for effecting expression of a nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and transcriptional control sequences suitable for directing specific or preferential expression of a nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant seed. Of particular interest as a transcriptional control sequence in this invention is the promoter PR602 (SEQ ID NO: 1) found in the 5?-untranslated region of the rice END1-like gene and isolated from a rice panicle library.

Abstract: A composition suitable for use in wound healing, particularly for reducing post-surgical adhesions, containing cross-linked derivatives of chitosan and dextran polymers. A hydrogel forms when solutions of the polymers are combined.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of modulating apoptosis of a granulosa cell. The method includes one or more of the following steps: (i) modulating the concentration and/or activity of BMP-15 and/or BMP-6 that the granulosa cell is exposed to; (ii) modulating activity of a BMP-15 dependent signalling pathway in the granulosa cell; and (iii) modulating activity of a BMP-6 dependent signalling pathway in a granulosa cell.