Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for producing a doped synthetic monodispersed hematin anhydride (HA) crystals useful as a slow release vehicle and immune modulator. As the preparation comprises embedded in the crystals one or more antigens and/or one or more biologically active entities, the preparation can be useful in numerous medical indications such as vaccine or any therapy where it is desired that a biologically active entity maintains its activity over time due to its slow-release. The process comprises the steps of (i) providing a substantially pure iron(III) protoporphyrin-IX, in solution in an alkaline solution substantially free of oxygen (ii) adjusting the pH of the solution to an acidic pH of between about 4.0, by slowly adding a medium strong organic acid, (iii) during step b) above, adding one or more antigens and/or one or entities having a biological activity, at a pH of about 5.0.

Abstract: Time-Mode Signal Processing (TMSP) offers a means for offsetting some of the challenges for analog circuit designs when exploiting CMOS circuit processes designed for digital applications. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a digital method for the storage, addition and subtraction of Time-Mode variables as these offer significant benefit to providing TMSP techniques and expanding their exploitation within devices, systems, and applications. Whilst driven by CMOS process challenges the TM circuits outlined may exploit essentially any digital circuit technology since they are based upon delay. The inventors present an approach to TM variables wherein a switched delay unit is exploited and adopted such that the instantaneous phase difference between two rising signal edges can be latched and used to perform various arithmetic operations. Beneficially, the technique allows analog sampled-data signal processing to be implemented within digital circuitry.

Abstract: A catalyst precursor comprising (A) a microporous support, (B) a non-noble metal precursor, and (C) a pore-filler, wherein the micropores of the microporous support are filled with the pore-filler and the non-noble metal precursor so that the micropore surface area of the catalyst precursor is substantially smaller than the micropore surface area of the support when the pore-filler and the non-noble metal precursor are absent is provided. Also, a catalyst comprising the above catalyst precursor, wherein the catalyst precursor has been pyrolysed so that the micropore surface area of the catalyst is substantially larger than the micropore surface area of catalyst precursor, with the proviso that the pyrolysis is performed in the presence of a gas that is a nitrogen precursor when the microporous support, the non-noble metal precursor and the pore-filler are not nitrogen precursors is also provided. Methods of producing the catalyst precursor and the catalyst are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to synthetic green tea derived polyphenolic compounds, their modes of syntheses, and their use in inhibiting proteasomal activity and in treating cancers. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions useful in methods of inhibiting proteasomes and of treating cancers.

Abstract: Strongly confined semiconductor quantum dots theoretically offer for broadband and continuous tunability of their emitting wavelength based upon simply varying the particle size. However, prior art consistently has demonstrated a lower particle size limit below which optical gain cannot be achieved, for example 2.3 nm for CdSe in toluene. As such the prior art points to combinations of alternative materials and host media as the route to achieving the goal of broadband emission sources using quantum dots. However, according to the invention optical gain can be achieved in quantum dots below these previous experimental limits by resonantly pumping the quantum dots to a specific excitonic state, i.e. electron position relative to the quantum dot, such that the multiexcitonic interferences are minimized. Using this approach optical gain in CdSe of R=2.1 nm and 1.5 nm has been demonstrated in the yellow/amber region of the visible spectrum.

Abstract: Amongst the candidates for very high efficiency solid state lights sources and full solar spectrum solar cells are devices based upon InGaN nanowires. Additionally these nanowires typically require heterostructures, quantum dots, etc which all place requirements for these structures to be grown with relatively few defects. Further manufacturing requirements demand reproducible nanowire diameter, length etc to allow these nanowires to be embedded within device structures. Additionally flexibility according to the device design requires that the nanowire at the substrate may be either InN or GaN. According to the invention a method of growing relatively defect free nanowires and associated structures for group III—nitrides is presented without the requirement for foreign metal catalysts and overcoming the non-uniform growth of prior art non-catalyst growth techniques. The technique also allows for unique dot-within-a-dot nanowire structures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods to treat glaucoma and glaucoma-related conditions through the regulation of changes in gene expression that are mediated by high intraocular pressure or ?2 macroglobulin administration. Glaucoma, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and chronic ocular hypertension are treated using pharmaceutical compositions which comprise substances that inhibit the expression or activity of intraocular pressure-regulated early genes (IPREGs) or their gene products that are up-regulated by high intraocular pressure or ?2 macroglobulin administration and/or which increase the expression or activity of IPREGs or their gene products that are down-regulated by high intraocular pressure or ?2 macroglobulin administration. The invention also relates to methods of identifying an IPREG and methods to test for chronic ocular degeneration and the onset of RGC stress in an individual by measuring the expression level of IPREG proteins.

Abstract: Method for reducing weed on a weed-infested turfgrass. Said method comprising applying to the turfgrass an effective amount of a herbicidal fungus formulated into particles, most of the particles having a particle size of less than about 1.7 mm of diameter, whereas the herbicidal fungus decreases weed growth and/or increases weed disease development in the weed-infested turfgrass as compared to in the absence thereof; other embodiments of the methods comprising applying to the turfgrass an effective amount of a herbicidal fungus formulated into particles, and covering the weed-infested turfgrass with a ground cover sheet, whereas the herbicidal fungus and the ground cover sheet decrease weed growth and/or increases weed disease development in the weed-infested turfgrass as compared to in the absence thereof. Herbicidal fungus and kits therefore.

Abstract: A drill bit, system and method for penetrating a material such as a mineral bearing rock or the like. The system comprises a drill bit comprising a cutting face comprising at least one cutting tool, an emitter of microwaves positioned behind the cutting face, wherein at least a portion of the microwaves are emitted in a direction away from the cutting face, and a reflector for directing the portion to the cutting face. In operation the emitted microwaves irradiate the material prior to the irradiated material being removed by the at least one cutting tool.

Abstract: In most cancers, a significant factor in a poor outcome for the individual cancer victim is metastatic disease, i.e., dissemination of tumour cells to other parts of the human body via the circulation, such as distant organs, and their subsequent proliferation therein to form multiple other cancer tumours. The presence of circulating tumour cells, or CTCs, represents a vital intermediate step in this process and variations of a few CTCs within blood samples containing tens of billions of cells may denote the outcome for a patient or impact the cancer treatment regimen. At present no low cost field deployable technique for filtering CTCs exists. According to embodiments of the invention micro-machined filters with high aspect ratio, with and without, functionalization are employed to perform multi-parameter filtering for CTCs based upon compatibility with low cost semiconductor processes within multiple materials including silicon, polymers and silicon carbide.

Abstract: Amongst the candidates for very high efficiency electronics, solid state light sources, photovoltaics, and photoelectrochemical devices, and photobiological devices are those based upon metal-nitride nanowires. Enhanced nanowire performance typically require heterostructures, quantum dots, etc which requirement that these structures are grown with relatively few defects and in a controllable reproducible manner. Additionally flexibility according to the device design requires that the nanowire at the substrate may be either InN or GaN. Methods of growing relatively defect free nanowires and associated structures for group IIIA-nitrides are presented without the requirement for foreign metal catalysts, overcoming the non-uniform growth of prior art techniques and allowing self-organizing quantum dot, quantum well and quantum dot-in-a-dot structures to be formed.

Abstract: Optical fibers and optical fiber tapers have application within many optical systems and optical devices. To date manufacturing such fibers and fiber tapers has been restricted to drawing constant diameter fibers in gravity driven processes and symmetric tapers through pulling with localized heating. However, it would be beneficial to be able to generate arbitrary profiles when pulling an optical fiber into a fiber taper allowing an initial uniform section, reducing transition, wire section, increasing transition and final uniform section.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing the presence of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) or predicting the risk of developing HSP in a human subject, comprising detecting the presence or absence of a defect in a gene encoding a polypeptide comprising the sequence of FIG. 9 (SEQ ID NO: 19), in a nucleic acid sample of the subject, whereby the detection of the defect is indicative that the subject has or is at risk of developing HSP.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compounds, compositions containing same and methods for inhibiting human farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase or for the treatment or prevention of disease conditions using said compounds;

Abstract: The invention relates to oligonucleotides having alternating segments of sugar-modified nucleosides and 2?-deoxynucleosides, and uses thereof. The invention further related to oligonucleotides having alternating segments of sugar-modified nucleotides and 2?-deoxynucleotides, and uses thereof. Such uses include the preparation of antisense oligonucleotides and their use for the prevention or depletion of function of a target nucleic acid of interest, such as an RNA, in a system. Accordingly, and oligonucleotide of the invention is useful for therapeutic, analytical and diagnostic methods and uses, as well as component of compositions and commercial packages corresponding to such methods and uses.

Abstract: Biomarkers that can be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of multiple sclerosis in pediatric patients presenting with clinically isolated syndrome or acquired demyelination syndrome are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the ideal time for and outcome of reproductive health procedures including in vitro fertilization by establishing a correlation between the successful outcome of said procedure and the spectra of a body fluid obtained using a chosen analytical modality for a population of patients, acquiring for a patient a spectrum of the body fluid of the patient using said chosen modality.

Abstract: A novel gene (EPM2A) that is deleted or mutated in people with Lafora's disease is described. The EPM2A gene encodes a protein having an active catalytic site of a protein tyrosine phosphatase. Many different sequence mutations as well as several microdeletions in EPM2A have been found that co-segregate with Lafora's disease.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for predicting a circadian state of an individual. The methods comprise: providing a model representative of the response of the circadian state to light stimulus, the model comprising at least one model variable representative of a probability distribution function (PDF) of a phase offset of the circadian state of the individual; and using the model to estimate an updated PDF of the phase offset, wherein using the model to estimate the updated PDF of the phase offset comprises performing a Bayesian estimation process commencing with an initial PDF of the phase offset and iterating toward the updated PDF of the phase offset.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel peptides that can modulate the ghrelin receptor (growth hormone secretagogue receptor, GHS-R1a and sub-types, isoforms and variants thereof). These peptides are useful as antagonists of the ghrelin receptor as well as inverse agonist, partial agonist or a combination of these activities as medicaments for treatment and prevention of a range of medical conditions including, but not limited to, metabolic and/or endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, obesity and obesity-associated disorders, diabetes, central nervous system disorders, genetic disorders, and hyperproliferative disorders.