Abstract: Methods for depositing a material onto a substrate include the steps of: feeding a material solution including one or more precursor compounds, a solvent and a pH-modifying catalyst to an outlet to provide a stream of droplets of the material solution; generating an electric field to electrostatically attract the droplets from the outlet towards the substrate; and providing an increase in temperature between the outlet and the substrate.

Abstract: A method of depositing a material onto a substrate, comprising the steps of: feeding a material solution to an outlet to provide a stream of droplets of the material solution; applying a potential difference between the outlet and a substrate to electrostatically attract the droplets from the outlet towards the substrate such that a corona discharge is formed around the outlet; heating the substrate to provide an increase in temperature between the outlet and the substrate; and progressively increasing the temperature of the substrate during material deposition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of xenon as an NMDA antagonist. In particular, the invention relates to a method of treatment comprising modulating the activity of an NMDA receptor in a mammal, the method comprising modulating the activity of the NMDA receptor by administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of xenon. In a further aspect, the invention provides a process for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition suitable for modulating the activity of an NMDA receptor.

Abstract: A method of controlling asphaltene precipitation in a fluid comprising the addition of a precipitation inhibitor to the fluid containing the asphaltene.

Abstract: Methods of identifying resistance to Hepatitis B infection are disclosed, as well as peptides capable of modifying immune response and methods of treating Hepatitis B.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing fruit and vegetables to assess their ripeness includes an impactor device (28) comprising a bellows (30) which can be expanded and retracted by the application of pressurized air and vacuum via a support tube (32) for the bellows and which mounts an impactor (33) for tapping a fruit or vegetable item to be tested. The impactor has an internal slug movable relatively to the bellows (30) so that, when the bellows expands and stops upon its nose piece (36) contacting the surface of the item to be tested, the slug continues to move through the aperture (35) in the nose piece, under its own momentum, to tap the surface of the item. The slug incorporates a force transducer which, when the slug is tapped against the item, produces an electrical output signal in the form of a pulse corresponding to the reaction force and this pulse is processed to produce a signal indicative of the ripeness of the fruit.

Abstract: The use of an IFN-&agr; subtype is provided for the preparation of a medicament to enhance the T-cell immune response in therapy of cancer, bacterial or parasitic infection or systemic viral infection amongst other disease conditions. Also provided are pharmaceutical formulations which include such sub-types of IFN-&agr; and methods of treatment, including treatment of cancer, bacterial or parasitic infection or systemic viral infection amongst other disease conditions.

Abstract: A solid state microstructure comprises a substrate, a detector element extending outwardly from a surface of the substrate and having first and second electrodes on opposing sides thereof, the detector element incorporating an onboard electronically-triggered gating structure. The gating structure may for example be a third electrode.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting steroid sulphatase activity in a subject in need of same as described. The method comprises administering to said subject a steroid sulphatase inhibiting amount of a ring system compound; which ring system compound comprises a ring to which is attached a sulphamate group of the formula wherein each of R1 and R2 is independently selected from H, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, or together represent alkylene optionally containing one or more hetero atoms or groups in the alkylene chain; and wherein said compound is an inhibitor of an enzyme having steroid sulphatase activity (E.C.3.1.6.2); and if the sulphamate group of said compound is replaced with a sulphate group to form a sulphate compound and incubated with a steroid sulphatase enzyme (E.C.3.1.6.2) at a pH 7.4 and 37° C. it would provide a Km value of less than 50 &mgr;M.

Abstract: A fabrication method in which an object is formed as a plurality of successive laminae, the method comprising the repeated steps of: (i) applying a precursor onto a recipient surface; and (ii) locally heating regions of the deposited precursor by directing a light beam onto those regions of the deposited precursor, so that the locally heated regions transform to a solid material.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for inspecting elongate members, especially pipes, using Lamb waves. The apparatus and method provide for the propagation of an axi-symmetric Lamb wave of a single mode in one direction along the pipe. A receiver is provided to receive the Lamb wave after its passage along the pipe and convert the received wave for storage, processing and analysis to determine whether or not there are faults present in the pipe. The apparatus includes at least one and usually several excitation rings each having a plurality of Lamb wave exciters deployed in equiangular spacing in a ring clamping structure whereby each exciter can be pressed with equal force against the surface of the pipe under inspection.

Abstract: A method of identifying individual substances within a mixture of substances comprises causing the mixture to travel past a spaced series of detectors, each being arranged to produce a signal representative of a characteristic of the mixture as it passes, repeatedly measuring the signals from each detector at a plurality of times, transforming into velocity space, and identifying individual substances within the mixture according to the peaks they create in velocity space.

Abstract: A variant HBsAg protein of fragment thereof displaying the antigenicity of Hepatitis B virus surface antigen is disclosed, in which the variant protein or fragment thereof (vHBsAg) comprises a modified a determinant in which there is an amino acid other than glycine at position 145 of the HBsAg sequence. A vaccine comprising the vHBsAg is provided, as it is a kit for diagnostic in vitro detection of anti-vHBsAg antibodies and an antibody preparation comprising anti-vHBsAg antibodies.

Abstract: A method of automatically sequencing DNA comprises repeatedly determining the next base in the sequence as a function not only of a physical measurement made at that position, but also as a function of previously-determined near-by bases in the same sequence. Typically, a computer algorithm is used which predicts the value of the expected measurement at a given position based upon a knowledge of the bases in previous and/or subsequent positions. The predicted measurement is then compared with the actual measurement, and the base chosen at that position is the base which minimizes the accumulated error measure for the entire sequence. The preferred algorithm, which may be parallel or sequential, preferably includes physical modelling of the replication effect and of the fluorescence effect.

Abstract: Composition comprising DNA associated with a polycation moiety wherein the polycation moiety is itself coupled to an integrin receptor binding moiety is disclosed. Preferably, the integrin receptor binding moiety is a peptide, and the compositions can be used to deliver DNA to a cell where it will be expressed, for example, to treat a condition by gene therapy. In a preferred embodiment, the integrin receptor binding moiety comprises a peptide, in particular a cyclic peptide, comprising the sequence RGD. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the peptide comprises the sequence GGCRGDMFGC. Cyclic configuration in this sequence is imposed by virtue of the presence of two cysteine residues which can form a disulphide bond.

Abstract: A vascular prosthesis includes a length of generally hollow tubing having openings at both ends thereof. The prosthesis includes at least one curved portion whose curvature extends within three dimensions of two mutually perpendicular planes such as to induce swirl flow in a liquid medium when such medium flows through the curved portion.

Abstract: Molecules which are capable of specifically binding to a hepatitis B escape mutant antigenic determinant include monoclonal antibodies secreted by the cell line SMH HBs 145/G/R/I (ECACC 92122312). SMH HBs 145/R/I (ECACC 93052626). SMH HBs 145/G/II (ECACC 93033109) or SMH HBs 145/R/II (ECACC 93033110) and other specific binding molecules cross-competitive with them. Antibodies secreted by the cell lines SM HBs 145/G/R/I and SMH HBs 145/G/R/II bind variant (escape mutant) HBsAG and wild type HBsAG. Antibodies secreted by the cell lines SMH HBs 145/R/I and SMH HBs 145/R/II bind variant but not wild type.

Abstract: A chemoattractant protein called "eotaxin" is capable of attracting eosinophils and of inducing eosinophil accumulation and/or activation in vitro and in vivo. Various types of agents that inhibit or otherwise hinder the production, release or activity of eotaxin may be used therapeutically in the treatment of asthma and other inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: A method of imaging molecules of interest within a biological sample includes shining a UV light onto the sample and detecting the molecular UV absorption. Where the molecules of interest are themselves UV absorbers, the intrinsic absorption of those molecules may be used. If the molecules of interest are not good UV absorbers, UV-absorbing tag molecules may be used. The method may be used in molecular imaging devices of all types, and in DNA sequencers. A novel diamond-based detector is disclosed which is suitable for many applications.

Abstract: A method of inhibiting steroid sulphatase activity in a subject in need of same is described. The method comprises administering to said subject a steroid sulphatase inhibiting amount of a ring system compound; which ring system compound comprises a ring to which is attached a sulphamate group of the formula ##STR1## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is independently selected from H, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, or together represent alkylene optionally containing one or more hetero atoms or groups in the alkylene chain; and wherein said compound is an inhibitor of an enzyme having steroid sulphatase activity (E.C.3.1.6.2); and if the sulphamate group of said compound is replaced with a sulphate group to form a sulphate compound and incubated with a steroid sulphatase enzyme (E.C.3.1.6.2) at a pH 7.4 and 37.degree. C. it would provide a K.sub.m value of less than 50 .mu.M.