Abstract: This invention relates to a novel screening method that identifies simple molecular markers that are predictive of whether a particular disease condition is responsive to a specific treatment. Also, a method of diagnosing the susceptibility of an individual suffering from a disease to treatment with an HDAC inhibitor is provided. Also provided is a method of treating a proliferative disease or a condition which involves a change in cell differentiation or growth rate in a patient.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining torque in a shaft, the apparatus comprising an elongate member with a weakened region partway along its length, and means for securing the member to the shaft either side of the weakened region, preferably adjacent each end of the elongate member. The invention extends to a method of localising the twist a shaft undergoes, comprising securing an elongate member to a shaft, wherein the elongate member comprises a weakened region partway along its length.

Abstract: There is provided a nucleic acid that inhibits miR-31 in an atrial myocyte, for use in the prevention or treatment of atrial fibrillation in a subject. Also provided is a method for diagnosing or predicting the risk of atrial fibrillation in a subject, said method comprising: (i) determining the amount of miR-31 in a sample from the subject; (ii) comparing the amount of miR-31 in the sample with a reference standard; and (iii) identifying a difference in the amount of miR-31 in the sample relative to the reference standard; wherein an increase in the amount of miR-31 in the sample compared to the reference standard correlates with the presence of or an increased risk of atrial fibrillation in the subject; and wherein a decrease, or no difference in the amount of miR-31 in the sample compared to the reference standard correlates with the absence of an increased risk of atrial fibrillation in the subject.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the IIIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of IIIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the IIIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of IIIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the IIIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of IIIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the HIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of HIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the HIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of HIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the IIIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of IIIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: A novel class of hydroxylases is described having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6 and 8, and variants and fragments thereof having HIF hydroxylation activity. The polypeptides of the invention have in particular prolyl hydroxylase activity. An assay method monitors the interaction of the HIF hydroxylase with a substrate. Modulators of HIF hydroxylase are provided for use in the treatment of a condition associated with increased or decreased HIF levels or activity or for the treatment of a condition where it is desirable to modulate HIF levels or activity.

Abstract: Stents and method of inserting a stent into a delivery catheter are disclosed. In a disclosed embodiment, a stent for redirecting blood flow away from an aneurysmal sac is provided. The stent comprises an elongate frame (2) that is radially contractable from a fully radially expanded state to a radially contracted state in a process involving elongation of the frame, wherein: the fully radially expanded state represents the state of the frame at body temperature when no external force is applied to the frame; in the radially contracted state the frame has a maximum lateral dimension that is at least 30% smaller than the maximum lateral dimension of the frame in the fully radially expanded state; and the frame comprises a low porosity region (4) for positioning at the opening to the aneurysmal sac, the low porosity region having a porosity of less than 50% when the frame is in the fully radially expanded state.

Abstract: According to a disclosed embodiment, there is provided a method of processing a silicon wafer for use in a substrate for an electronic circuit, comprising: impregnating the silicon wafer with impurities that form one or more deep energy levels within the band gap of silicon, wherein at least one of said deep energy levels is positioned at least 0.3 eV away from the conduction band if the level is a donor level or at least 0.3 eV away from the valence band if the level is an acceptor level; and pre-processing the silicon wafer, prior to or after said impregnation step, so that precipitation of oxide during, after, or during and after, said impregnating step is suppressed.

Abstract: A shortened version of the MOLLI sequence (Sh-MOLLI) is described which generates rapid and high-resolution myocardial spin-lattice (T1) maps. The Sh-MOLLI technique is based on a significant abbreviation of pre-existing TI sampling scheme combined with the use of processing logic to bypass the major side effects of the above sampling scheme abbreviation and distinguish between long and short T1 relaxation times in order to conditionally utilize available TI samples for non-linear T1 fitting.

Abstract: An active pixel image sensor comprises a pixel array of active pixels that are capable of being random access addressed to provide pixel readout signals from the addressed pixels on N output lines, where N is a plural integer and M ADC lanes capable of performing analog-to-digital conversion of pixel readout signals, where M is a plural integer less than N. A switching arrangement is capable of selectively connecting output lines to the M ADC lanes. A control unit provides random access addressing of the pixels, and in synchronisation therewith controls the switching arrangement to connect the output lines on which the addressed pixels provide pixel readout signals to ADC lanes.

Abstract: There is provided a method for inserting a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a foreign peptide into a poxvirus genome, said method comprising: identifying in the poxvirus genome a poxvirus open reading frame wherein said open reading frame is characterized by an initial ATG start codon and wherein expression of said open reading frame is driven by an operably-linked poxvirus promoter located upstream of the open reading frame and wherein expression of said open reading frame provides a peptide that is non-essential to viability of the poxvirus; and inserting the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the foreign peptide at a position downstream of the poxvirus promoter; wherein following said insertion, (i) the nucleic acid that encodes the foreign peptide is operably-linked to the poxvirus promoter and expression of said nucleic acid is driven by said poxvirus promoter; and (ii) translation of the foreign peptide is initiated at an ATG start codon located at the same position as the ATG start codon of the poxvi

Abstract: A method of authenticating communication between a first and second party (or node) over an insecure, high bandwidth communications network, in which the first party (C) authenticates the second party (M) using a communications protocol comprising a first communications phase through a first communications channel over the insecure, high bandwidth communications network to establish a secure mode of communications between the first and second party, followed by a second communications phase of receiving information from the second party over a second communications channel, such as an empirical channel, and enabling a user to make a human comparison of the information received from the second party with information generated by the first party thereby enabling the user to authenticate the second party in the event of the information from both parties agrees.

Abstract: The present invention provides an immunogenic composition capable of eliciting an immune response when administered to a human or non-human animal, wherein the composition comprises an isolated protein with one or more of the following properties: i) about 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or more percent sequence identity to the protein of SEQ ID No: 1 or a fragment, derivative or analog thereof; ii) is a modified factor H binding protein, wherein the factor H binding protein has been modified at least at the position equivalent to position 318 as defined in FIG. 6 (SEQ ID No: 2); iii) does not bind to factor H; and iv) the immune response elicited is cross reactive with two or more of variant 1 factor H binding protein, variant 2 factor H binding protein and variant 3 factor H binding protein from N. meningitidis; and uses thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a focussing system for concentrating radiation onto a target surface, comprising: a first reflective element forming part of the surface of a cone axially aligned along a first alignment axis, the first reflective element being positioned such that when planar radiation is incident on the first reflective element in a direction parallel to the first alignment axis, the planar radiation is focussed towards a first focus lying along the first alignment axis, wherein said part of the surface of a cone is contained within a sector having an included angle of less than 180 degrees; and a second reflective element having a reflective surface that at all points is flat in a direction parallel to a single reference direction, the second reflective element being positioned between the first reflective element and the first focus such that, when planar radiation is incident on the first reflective element in a direction parallel to the first alignment axis, radiation reflected from the first reflecti

Abstract: An image sensor has a plurality of pixels arranged in an array, a selection means for selecting individual pixels in the array, and a shutter means for transmitting a shutter signal to the pixels. The pixels are constructed and arranged to sense incident light only when both selected and in receipt of a shutter signal. The pixels in said array can thus be triggered individually to capture light at different times.

Abstract: Apparatus for locating bubbles in a subject comprises a plurality of pressure wave detectors arranged to operate as passive detectors to generate output signals in response to the receipt of pressure waves generated at a source comprising at least one bubble, and processing means arranged to receive signals from the detectors and to determine from the signals the position of the source.