Abstract: The invention provides hydrogel, wherein the hydrogel has a supramolecular cross-linked network obtainable or obtained from the complexation of an aqueous composition including a host, such as cucurbituril, and one or more polymers having suitable guest functionality. One or more polymers in the aqueous composition may have a molecular weight of 50 kDa or more, such as 200 kDa or more. The hydrogel may hold a component, such as a therapeutic compound or a biological molecule. The hydrogels are suitable for use in medicine.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of diagnosing and treating multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, including methods of identifying and treating multiple sclerosis patients who are at increased risk of developing a secondary autoimmune disease following lymphocyte depletion, caused, e.g., by treatment with an anti-CD52 antibody. Also embraced are methods of selecting treatment regimens for MS patients, and reagents useful in the above methods.

Abstract: Methods for amplifying a target nucleic acid by self-sustained amplification methods are described. The methods are designed, in particular, to be carried out without use of specialised lab facilities or instruments. Compositions, lyophilised formulations, and kits for carrying out the methods are also described.

Abstract: A method of tuning a vibratory gyroscope, the method comprising the steps of: a) applying an AC drive signal to the drive electrode, the drive signal comprising a plurality of frequencies; b) sensing the response of the resonator to the drive signal at the first and second sense electrodes; c) determining a frequency of maximum response for the first mode of vibration, and determining a frequency of maximum response for the second mode of vibration; d) deriving a comparison result from a comparison of the frequency of maximum response for the first mode of vibration with the frequency of maximum response for the second mode of vibration; and e) applying a biasing voltage to one or more of the tuning electrodes dependent on the comparison result.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for transferring phospholipids and other molecules between the leaflets of a cell membrane. The compositions comprise at least one nucleic acid or compound having a hydrophilic region, where the composition is able to form a nanostructure that forms a toroidal pore in a lipid membrane. The nucleic acid or hydrophilic region-containing compound further contains an attached molecule capable of inserting the nanostructure into the lipid membrane. The invention also provides methods for scrambling lipids and other molecules in a cell membrane, which can be used to alter the function of a selected cell or to facilitate the death of the cell. The scrambling activity of synthetic scramblases described herein outperforms previously known enzymatically active DNA nanostructures and naturally occurring scramblases, in some cases by several orders of magnitude.

Abstract: A method for processing video data comprising a plurality of image frames, the method comprising: obtaining a forward model and a backward model of the plurality of image frames; processing the forward model and the backward model to propagate at least one label in the region or patch to at least one other image frame of the video sequence, using a probabilistic method for estimating the label in the at least one other image frame in forward and backward correspondences, wherein, during the processing, a pixel having a most likely label with a probability lower than a threshold value is assigned a predetermined generic label; and generating a labelled result for any given image frame by applying an image label difference, based on label uncertainty between the forward and backward correspondences, to the given image frame.

Abstract: A sensor device for detecting a target species in an aqueous media and/or measuring the concentration of a target species in an aqueous media, the sensor device comprising: (a) an active semiconductor comprising an organic semiconductor material that exhibit substantially the same transfer curve for a period of at least 24 hours when first exposed to air; and (b) a structure for directing an aqueous media into contact with the sensor device.

Abstract: A medical device comprising a flexible electrode array having a bend radius of no more than about 2 mm; and a fluidic component, wherein the fluidic component is fluidically actuatable to cause the fluidic component to change configuration; wherein the fluidic component and the flexible electrode array are configured such that a change in configuration of the fluidic component causes a change in configuration of the flexible electrode array.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for generating a 3D light field. The device comprises a first lens having a fixed focal length, and an imaging element arranged to send light into the first lens. The imaging element is configured to send the light from different positions within a defined distance on the optical axis of the first lens, in order to produce different depth layers of the 3D light field within a frame duration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of assessing the likelihood of a subject having breast cancer or a precancerous condition associated with breast cancer. The present invention also relates to a method of determining whether treatment of breast cancer in a subject is required, and to a chemotherapeutic agent for use in the treatment of a subject in need of said treatment.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to power semiconductor devices in GaN technology. The disclosure proposes an integrated auxiliary (double) gate terminal and a pulldown network to achieve a normally-off (E-Mode) GaN transistor with threshold voltage higher than 2V, low gate leakage current and enhanced switching performance. The high threshold voltage GaN transistor has a high-voltage active GaN device and a low-voltage auxiliary GaN device wherein the high-voltage GaN device has the gate connected to the source of the integrated auxiliary low-voltage GaN transistor and the drain being the external high-voltage drain terminal and the source being the external source terminal, while the low-voltage auxiliary GaN transistor has the gate (first auxiliary electrode) connected to the drain (second auxiliary electrode) functioning as an external gate terminal.

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure are directed to devices that allow for adjusting of device parameters in a manner that does not involve power dissipation in an essential way. Thus, power demands when such devices are used in applications can be insignificant. This applies to both springs and inerters, which constitute basic lossless building blocks of mechanical device systems, and are analogues of inductors and capacitors in electrical circuits. Embodiments of this disclosure are also directed to a lossless adjustable 2-port transformer, and realization of mechanical translational and rotary transformers are set forth in the following. Embodiments of this disclosure allow for reduction of power demands in adjusting device parameters.

Abstract: Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present invention provide a solid state light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing the solid state light-emitting device. The method comprises preparing a thin layer of semiconducting perovskite nanoparticles embedded in a matrix or blend of a material that has a wider band gap than the semiconducting perovskite nanoparticles. In embodiments, the method comprises blending a solution of a semiconducting perovskite material or a precursor therefor with a solution of a material that has a wider band gap than the semiconducting perovskite material or a precursor therefor followed by removal of the solvent from the mixture thus formed, to give the semiconducting perovskite nanoparticles embedded in a matrix or blend of the material that has a wider band gap than the semiconducting perovskite nanoparticles.

Abstract: A resonator is disclosed for the detection of a mass analyte, such as a biological analyte. The resonator has: a piezoelectric layer formed of a piezoelectric material; a first resonator region and a second resonator region each occupying a corresponding region of the piezoelectric layer; electrodes disposed to apply a driving signal to the piezoelectric layer to generate bulk acoustic waves, the electrodes being common to the first resonator region and the second resonator region. In operation, the first resonator region has a first resonant frequency and the second resonator region has a second resonant frequency. The first resonator region and the second resonator region differ from each other in that the first resonator region is adapted to receive a mass analyte for the mass analyte selectively to attach to a surface of the first resonator region.

Abstract: This invention relates to the methods for the identification and isolation of cancer stem cells from cultured cancer cell lines. Cell line-derived cancer stem cells isolated using the present methods may be useful, for example, in assays to screen compounds for anti-cancer stem cell activity and in target discovery methods for identifying novel expressed genes and druggable targets. The invention also relates to the screening of compounds for activity against cell line-derived cancer stem cells.

Abstract: A device includes a heterojunction device, a unipolar power transistor operatively connected in series with said hetero junction device; an external control terminal for driving said unipolar power transistor and said heterojunction device; and an interface unit having a plurality of interface terminals. A first interface terminal is operatively connected to an active gate region of the heterojunction device and a second interface terminal is operatively connected to said external control terminal. The heterojunction device includes a threshold voltage less than a threshold voltage of the unipolar power transistor, wherein the threshold voltage of the heterojunction device is less than a blocking voltage of the unipolar power transistor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a heart valve, comprising: a step of injection moulding a first part (110) of the heart valve from a first block-copolymer, wherein the injection moulding is performed at a temperature below an order-disorder transition temperature of the block copolymer, such that a phase structure is present in the molten block-copolymer; a step of injection moulding a second part (114) of the heart valve from a second block-copolymer that is different to the first block-copolymer, by over-moulding over the first part (110) to form an over-moulded structure, wherein the injection moulding is performed at a temperature below order-disorder transition temperatures for the first and second block copolymers, such that a phase structure is present in the molten second block-copolymer and remains present in the first block-copolymer; and a step of cooling the over-moulded structure, without heating it above the order-disorder transition temperatures between the step of injection

Abstract: A computer-implemented system for processing image data. The system comprises: a sensor operable to capture image data comprising an image of an environment of the sensor; and a processing circuit comprising: a processor; and a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to: receive the image data from the sensor; process the image data using a first path through a neural network to obtain first data, the first path configured to indicate a presence in the environment of one or more objects of a predetermined object type; process the image data using a second path through a neural network to obtain second data, the second path configured to indicate a presence in the environment of one or more object characteristics corresponding to the predetermined object type; and generate output data using the first and second data, wherein the first and second paths are arranged to be enable the first and second data to be obtained in parallel.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of manufacturing a semiconductor structure comprising an (001) oriented zincblende structure group III-nitride layer, such as GaN. The layer is formed on a 3C—SiC layer on a silicon substrate. A nucleation layer is formed, recrystallized and then the zincblende structure group III-nitride layer is formed by MOVPE at temperature T3 in the range 750-1000° C., to a thickness of at least 0.5 ?m. There is also disclosed a corresponding semiconductor structure comprising a zincblende structure group III-nitride layer which, when characterized by XRD, shows that the substantial majority, or all, of the layer is formed of zincblende structure group III-nitride in preference to wurtzite structure group III-nitride.

Abstract: A microfluidic device (11) is provided for separation and analysis of microfluidic samples. The device comprises: a separation channel (10); a first electrolyte channel (12) configured to provide a flow of high conductivity electrolyte solution, in use; and provided with a positive electrode (13) at a downstream outlet of the channel; a second electrolyte channel (14) configured to provide a flow of high conductivity electrolyte solution, in use, and provided with a negative electrode (15) at a downstream outlet of the channel; and wherein the flow of electrolyte through the first and second electrolyte channels removes electrophoresis products and gas bubbles from the device; and wherein the presence of the electrolyte provides a substantially homogenous electric field across the separation channel.