Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus and a method for externally assessing and monitoring placement of an endo-tracheal tube for ventilation of patients based on thoracic impedance measurement.

Abstract: A kit (1) for storing cells or tissues. The kit (1) comprises a frame (7) having an opening therein and a peripheral wall surrounding the opening. Also provided is a sealable receptacle (2) for receiving the frame (7) and for receiving a liquid medium (6). A section of the sealable receptacle (2) being formed of a resilient member (5) for permitting access to the interior of the receptacle (5) by a penetrating element and subsequently forming a seal after withdrawal of the penetrating element.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus and a method for externally assessing and monitoring placement of an endo-tracheal tube for ventilation of patients based on thoracic impedance measurement.

Abstract: A method of analysing the interaction between a mixture of molecular components and a group of binding agents includes the following steps. (i) Separating the molecular components in the mixture into a plurality of fractions on the basis of a physical parameter. (ii) Providing a plurality of different binding agents. (iii) Contacting the binding agents with at least two of the fractions and detecting the binding of the molecular components in each fraction to the binding agents. (iv) Detecting the presence of a plurality of the molecular components by the binding of the molecular components to the binding agents.

Abstract: A lighting system, preferably for use in operating theatres, in which at least one light source is mounted to be movable an adjustable in a single ceiling and/or wall element in the form of a prefabricated module element (4). The light sources in each module element may be controlled singly or in clusters by means of a control device designed to direct the source or sources to focus at a point defined by an optical, ultrasound or magnetic, radio frequency pointer that is seen by an appropriate sensor/camera system or receiver in the room, and which, via control means, moves the light source to the desired position. The light source consists of light-emitting diodes, halogen bulbs or the end of one or several fiber-optical cables, fixed ion a holder shaped as one half of a cup or a sphere, the holder being arranges to be movable about two perpendicular axes in the xy-plane (the ceiling plane) of the ceiling module (4).

Abstract: The invention is directed to self-assembling, polymer-based delivery systems for proteins. The delivery systems comprises an active agent and a polyol ester of the invention, having a linear polyol containing six or more hydroxyl groups as a central backbone and biodegradable hydroxy carboxylic ester groups attached to the central backbone.

Abstract: An intravenous catheter comprising an inner return tube (1) having return mouth or tip (2) and attached to the return tube (1) an outer access or draw-off tube (3) having draw-off openings (4), where tube (3) and openings (4) are arranged around and coaxial with the inner tube (1), at least along that part which in use is to be inside the vein (8), whereby the distal end of the return tube (1) extends beyond the distal end of the access tube (3), the distance between the return mouth (2) and this distal end preferably being at least twice the width of an approved stasis band.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for isolating nucleic acid from a sample, said method comprising boiling said sample and allowing it to cool, and condensing the nucleic acid onto a high-surface area solid support, and in particular the use of such a method in the preparation of nucleic acid samples for subsequent amplification. The method has particular utility in the isolation of nucleic acid from aged, fixed or otherwise distressed samples.

Abstract: The invention relates to an oligonucleotide primer sequence for use in in vitro amplification, characterised in that said primer sequence is capable of creating a BstX I restriction site overlapping codon (12) and/or an Xcm I restriction site overlapping codon (13) or a Bce 83I restriction site overlapping codon (61) of the wild-type K-ras oncogene, methods of using said primer sequences for detecting activating mutations in codons (12 and/or 13 and/or 61) of the K-ras oncogene and kits for performing the methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides antibodies for use in a method of immunoassay being antibodies specific to the polypeptide consisting of amino acids 1-76 (SEQ ID NO:1) of N-terminal brain natriuretic factor BNP(1-76). Also provided are methods and kits for the diagnosis or prognosis of conditions in which BNP(1-76) is a diagnostic or prognostic indicator, such as heart failure or hypervolemia.

Abstract: The peptide N-terminal pro-ANF, which is present in body fluids such as plasma, has been found to be an effective predictor of heart failure and the invention provides prediction and screening methods based upon in vitro assaying of N-terminal pro-ANF in body fluids.