Abstract: Novel nanosized layered double hydroxide materials and a method of producing the same as well as uses of said material. The novel materials are uniform and have the general formula I [M2+1-xM3+x(OH)2][An-x/n.zH2O]??I wherein M2+ is selected from Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ M3+ is selected from Al3+, V3+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Co3+, Sc3+, Ga3+, and Y3+, An- stands for an anion, x stands for a value in the range from 0.2 to 0.33, n is an integer from 1 to 4 and z is an integer from 1 to 10. The particle size is less than 1 ?m. The material can be used in heterogeneous catalysis in organic chemistry and petrochemistry, magnetic materials, pharmaceutical applications, electrode materials, tissue engineering, cosmetics, and dietary supplements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for ionizing analyte-containing sample lying on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises directing to the sample a heated flow of desorption gas in order to desorb analyte from the surface, and simultaneously directing to the sample light capable of ionizing the desorbed analyte in the presence of the desorption gas. The invention provides a method and system suitable for efficiently producing ions of neutral and nonpolar molecules on surfaces, for example for mass spectrometric purposes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrospray ionization (ESI) device for forming a stream of ionized sample molecules. The device comprises a sample introduction zone for receiving a liquid-form sample, a tip for spraying the sample into aerosol or gaseous form, and a flow channel connecting the sample introduction zone and the tip. According to the invention, the flow channel comprises an array of transversely oriented microstructures adapted to passively transport the liquid-form sample introduced to the sample introduction zone to the tip by means of capillary forces. The invention concerns also a manufacturing method and applications of the ESI device, in particular mass spectrometry. The device can be used without external pumping of sample liquid.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for examining a sample by means of mass spectrometry. According to the method, the solution comprising the sample to be examined is vaporized in a vaporizer, the vaporized sample solution is sprayed, using a gas flow, into a corona discharge zone, where the examined sample is ionised according to the APCI method, using a corona discharge, to generate gas phase ions, and the ions are separated and directed to a detector. According to the present invention, a vaporizer is used, which is fabricated as a micromechanical structure which comprises the flow channels for the solution and for the carrier gas possibly used for feeding the solution, as well as the heater of the vaporizer, and which are all included in a monolithic structure. The solution is especially suitable for cases in which a very sensitive analysing technique is needed, or in which the available sample quantity is very small (less than 1 ?L).

Abstract: An isolated protein which is structurally and functionally similar to avidin but with improved properties, such as better affinity towards biotin conjugate, useful immunological properties or faster biotin dissociation rate, compared to avidin and streptavidin.

Abstract: Isolated peptides comprising an amino acid sequence having Formula I X1X2X3X4,??I wherein X1 is an optional residue of an amino acid selected from the group of R, F, Y, S and conservative substitutes thereof; X2 stands for a residue of an amino acid selected from the group of R and A and conservative substitutes thereof; X3 is a residue of an amino acid selected from the group of F, P, G, Q, M and conservative substitutes thereof; and X4 is a residue of an amino acid selected from the group of K, F, G, P and conservative substitutes thereof. The novel peptides are capable of binding to human kallikrein 2 and of inhibiting the proteolytic activity of human kallikrein 2. They can be used in prostate cancer treatment as such or in combination with other ligands modulating the activity of factors mediating tumor growth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for ionizing analyte-containing sample lying on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises directing to the sample a heated flow of desorption gas in order to desorb analyte from the surface, and simultaneously directing to the sample light capable of ionizing the desorbed analyte in the presence of the desorption gas. The invention provides a method and system suitable for efficiently producing ions of neutral and nonpolar molecules on surfaces, for example for mass spectrometric purposes.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrospray ionization (ESI) device for forming a stream of ionized sample molecules. The device comprises a sample introduction zone for receiving a liquid-form sample, a tip for spraying the sample into aerosol or gaseous form, and a flow channel connecting the sample introduction zone and the tip. According to the invention, the flow channel comprises an array of transversely oriented microstructures adapted to passively transport the liquid-form sample introduced to the sample introduction zone to the tip by means of capillary forces. The invention concerns also a manufacturing method and applications of the ESI device, in particular mass spectrometry. The device can be used without external pumping of sample liquid.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for examining a sample by means of mass spectrometry. According to the method, the solution comprising the sample to be examined is vaporised in a vaporiser, the vaporised sample solution is sprayed, using a gas flow, into a corona discharge zone, where the examined sample is ionised according to the APCI method, using a corona discharge, to generate gas phase ions, and the ions are separated and directed to a detector. According to the present invention, a vaporiser is used, which is fabricated as a micromechanical structure which comprises the flow channels for the solution and for the carrier gas possibly used for feeding the solution, as well as the heater of the vaporiser, and which are all included in a monolithic structure. The solution is especially suitable for cases in which a very sensitive analysing technique is needed, or in which the available sample quantity is very small (less than 1 ?L).

Abstract: A photovoltaic device and a method for production thereof. The photovoltaic device comprises an anode (32), a cathode (46) spaced apart from the anode, and at least one subcell disposed between the anode and the cathode. The subcell comprises a charge-transfer dyad (38) with a light absorbing electron donor moiety (40) and an electron acceptor moiety (42), which are covalently linked to each other in a non-flexible configuration and oriented such that each subcell is capable of performing primary photo-induced vectorial electron transfer between the donor and acceptor moieties in the direction from the anode to cathode. The structure of the donor-acceptor molecule is highly symmetric, which greatly increases the intramolecular electron transfer probability and, thereby, the efficiency of the device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an in vitro method for diagnosis or prediction of Parkinson's disease in a subject, the method comprising testing for a mutation of a mitochondrial DNA polymerase POLG1 gene of the subject and, where the mutation is detected, diagnosing or predicting Parkinson's disease in the subject. Further, the present invention provides a diagnostic kit for diagnosis or prediction of Parkinson's disease in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to new chimeric mutants of avidin protein with improved properties, e.g. thermostability, better stability against proteolysis, better charge properties (for example lower pl) compared to native avidin and avidin-related proteins, AVRs. The chimeric avidin mutants comprise mutants where a region or regions in avidin are substituted by a corresponding region or regions from an AVR protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for gene mapping from chromosome and phenotype data, which utilizes linkage disequilibrium between genetic markers mi, which are polymorphic nucleic acid or protein sequences or strings of single-nucleotide polymorphisms deriving from a chromosomal region. All marker patterns P that satisfy a certain pattern evaluation function e(P) are searched from the data, each marker mi of the data is scored by a marker score and the location of the gene is predicted as a function of the scores s(mi) of all the markers mi in the data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel diagnostic method for the detection of infertility in males. In particular, the present invention relates to a diagnostic method for detecting the presence or absence of a mutation or mutations in the POLG gene encoding mitochondrial DNA polmerase in a biological sample. The invention relates also to the use of a mutant POLG gene in the detection of infertility in males and in the screening of human populations for the presence of such mutation or mutations as a predictive test for male infertility. The invention also relates to the use of the POLG gene as an indicator of other pathological conditions associated with or related to male infertility, including those manifesting in women.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel diagnostic method for the detection of infertility in males. In particular, the present invention relates to a diagnostic method for detecting the presence or absence of a mutation or mutations in the POLG gene encoding mitochondrial DNA polmerase in a biological sample. The invention relates also to the use of a mutant POLG gene in the detection of infertility in males and in the screening of human populations for the presence of such mutation or mutations as a predictive test for male infertility. The invention also relates to the use of the POLG gene as an indicator of other pathological conditions associated with or related to male infertility, including those manifesting in women.