Abstract: Skin treatment apparatus comprising an energy applicator structure configured to establish heating or ablation at a predetermined and controllable (i.e. selectable) depth below a surface of skin tissue with which it is in contact. The applicator structure may receive a cooling medium and microwave frequency electromagnetic energy, which provide a combined treatment effect that results in heating or ablation in a zone beneath the skin surface. The applicator may be a waveguide (e.g. waveguide horn antenna) with internal shielding configured to provide a substantially uniform heating effect. The applicator may include a thermal camera to monitor treatment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor for detecting the presence of a botulinum neurotoxin in a sample, the sensor comprising: (a) an electrically conductive substrate coated with at least one SNAP-25, VAMP or syntaxin protein; and (b) a detection arrangement adapted to enable the detection of the cleavage of at least one SNAP-25, VAMP or syntaxin protein by the botulinum neurotoxin. The invention also relates to methods of making a sensor, methods of detecting and a detection kit for botulinum neurotoxin.

Abstract: A method of determining the presence or absence in a sample of a biomarker indicative of exposure to mycobacteria, the method comprising: (a) providing a substrate carrying a mycolic acid derived antigen; (b) contacting the substrate with the sample; (c) contacting the substrate with a fluorophore species; (d) creating an evanescent wave at the boundary of the substrate and the sample; (e) detecting the presence or absence of fluorescence.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a simple method for transforming cashew nut shell liquid into an active herbicidal composition.

Abstract: A method of preparing a compound of formula (III): (M)x-(S)y-(M?)z??(III) wherein x is from 1 to 6, y is from 1 to 12, z is from 0 to 10, each M and each M? is independently a mycolic acid residue including a ?-hydroxy acid moiety and each S is a monosaccharide unit; the method comprising reacting one or more mycolic acids with one or more saccharide units wherein the hydroxyl group of each ?-hydroxy acid moiety is protected prior to reaction with the one or more saccharide units.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a drug activator carrier comprising: a) particles having a metallic or metallic oxide core prepared from a paramagnetic material, said metallic core being coated with a coating material selected from polymer, metal or metal oxide; b) a biological material, having reductase activity, bound onto the metal coating the particles of step a), and wherein said biological material is capable of activating non-toxic pro-drugs into active and toxic drugs suitable for treating a disease; said drug activator carrier allowing targeted delivery of the toxic drug.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a synchronization method suitable for increasing the receiving speed in the receiving part of an orthogonal optical frequency division multiplexing (OOFDM) transceiver.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of dye-sensitised solar cells and to a method for reducing the temperature necessary for sintering the metal oxide paste coating the electrode by adding a metal peroxide to the metal oxide paste coated to the electrode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of dye sensitised solar cells and discloses a method for multiple desensitising and re-dyeing, including partial desensitisation and multiple re-dyeing with single or mixed dyes.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I) for use in the treatment of a disease of the immune system; wherein R is an optionally-substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl moiety having from 1 to 50 carbon atoms; R1 is an optionally-substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl moiety having from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; each of R2, R3 and R4 is independently selected from an optionally-substituted alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, arylalkylene or alkylarylene moiety having from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; each of X, Y and Z is independently selected from an optionally-substituted alkylene, alkenylene, alkenylene, arylene, alkylarylene, cycloalkylene, ketone, ester, amide, imide, imine, thioether, ether, thioester and thioketone; and P is selected from hydrogen, an alkyl group, a sugar residue, or a metal, phosphonium or ammonium species; wherein at least one of X, Y and Z includes a moiety selected from cyclopropyl, C=A, C-AH and C—OR5; wherein R5 is alkyl or haloalkyl, and A is O,

Abstract: A method of preparing a compound of formula (III): (M)x-(S)y-(M?)z??(III) wherein x is from 1 to 6, y is from 1 to 12, z is from 0 to 10, each M and each M? is independently a mycolic acid residue including a ?-hydroxy acid moiety and each S is a monosaccharide unit; the method comprising reacting one or more mycolic acids with one or more saccharide units wherein the hydroxyl group of each ?-hydroxy acid moiety is protected prior to reaction with the one or more saccharide units.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I) for use as an adjuvant in vaccination; wherein R is an optionally-substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl moiety having from 1 to 50 carbon atoms; R1 is an optionally-substituted alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkyl or alkylaryl moiety having from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; each of R2, R3 and R4 is independently selected from an optionally-substituted alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, arylalkylene or alkylarylene moiety having from 1 to 40 carbon atoms; each of X, Y and Z is independently selected from an optionally-substituted alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, arylene, alkylarylene or cycloalkylene, ketone, ester, amide, imide, imine, thioether, ether, thioester, thioketone; and P is selected from hydrogen, an alkyl group, a sugar residue, or a metal, phosphonium or ammonium species; wherein at least one of X, Y and Z includes a moiety selected from cyclopropyl, C=A, C-AH and C—OR5; wherein R5 is alkyl or haloalkyl, and A is S, O or NR6, wherein R6

Abstract: A method of determining the presence or absence in a sample of a biomarker, the method comprising: (a) linking an antigen to colloidal gold to provide a gold-antigen species; (b) contacting the gold-antigen species with the sample; (c) adding a diagnosis agent to the sample; and (d) observing the colour of the sample.

Abstract: A method of determining the presence or absence in a sample of a biomarker indicative of exposure to mycobacteria, the method comprising: (a) providing a substrate carrying a mycolic acid derived antigen; (b) contacting the substrate with the sample; (c) contacting the substrate with a fluorophore species; (d) creating an evanescent wave at the boundary of the substrate and the sample; (e) detecting the presence or absence of fluorescence.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for real time optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OOFDM) transceivers by adaptively utilising available channel spectral characteristics.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a solid component rich in a petroselinic compound from the seed of a plant of the Apiaceae or Araliaceae families, the method comprising: (a) treating a portion of the seed of the plant with an extraction solvent; and (b) inducing formation of the solid component.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of dye-sensitised solar cells and discloses a method for reducing the temperature necessary for sintering the metal oxide paste coating the electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of dye-sensitized solar cells and discloses a method for reducing the temperature necessary for sintering the metal oxide paste coating the electrode. The method comprises applying a colloid comprising a metal oxide, a solvent and a binder to an electrode and heating the coated electrode to a temperature of at most 300° C. for sintering the metal oxide following by cooling the electrode coated with sintered metal oxide. A process for preparing dye sensitized solar cells is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for achieving optimised synchronous clock distribution of point-to-multipoint optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexed networks such that bandwidth sharing in both the time and frequency domain is possible without interference between users. The invention details how all clocked components in the network are synchronised such that no clock offset compensation is required anywhere in the network. Also the present invention discloses a method for optimisation of the synchronous clocking method to maximise the system bit error rate (BER) performance, furthermore the present invention discloses a method for implementing multiband-OOFDM where ONUs can easily select any OOFDM band for data reception providing network configuration flexibility.

Abstract: A process of obtaining a saponin-rich component from a plant of the Araliaceae family, the process comprising the steps of: (a) treating a portion of the plant with an extraction solvent in which saponin-containing compounds are soluble; and (b) treating the portion of plant or the extract obtained therefrom to remove fatty acid residues from said portion of plant or extract thereof.