Abstract: A method of calibrating an instrument for surgical intervention is provided. The instrument to be calibrated has a tip at a distal end thereof and a navigation array that is spaced from the distal end and is detectable in space. The navigation array has a fixed spatial and angular relationship with the tip. The method comprises the steps of: placing a calibrator on the tip of the instrument such that the tip is positioned within the calibrator at a known displacement from the centre of the calibrator, the calibrator having a circular shape and being detectable as a single point in space; detecting the position of the navigation array and the centre of the calibrator; and determining the position of the centre of the calibrator relative to the navigation array, thereby calibrating the position of the tip of the instrument relative to the navigation array. There is also provided a calibrator for use in such a method.

Abstract: A device for interventions within the body, the device comprising: an end piece 6 for insertion into the body at a distal end thereof, the end piece 6 including a rigid lumen for holding an instrument 10 and guiding the instrument 10 to the distal end of the end piece; and a body section 4 supporting the lumen and being rigidly connected thereto, the body section including a navigation array 14 for guidance of the device using a surgical navigation system and/or including an anchor point 20 for a standard navigation array.

Abstract: A device for interventions within the body, the device comprising: an end piece 6 for insertion into the body at a distal end thereof, the end piece 6 including a rigid lumen for holding an instrument 10 and guiding the instrument 10 to the distal end of the end piece; and a body section 4 supporting the lumen and being rigidly connected thereto, the body section including a navigation array 14 for guidance of the device using a surgical navigation system and/or including an anchor point 20 for a standard navigation array.

Abstract: A device, such as a light-emitting device, e.g. a laser device, comprising: a plurality of group III-V semiconductor NWs grown on one side of a graphitic substrate, preferably through the holes of an optional hole-patterned mask on said graphitic substrate; a first distributed Bragg reflector or metal mirror positioned substantially parallel to said graphitic substrate and positioned on the opposite side of said graphitic substrate to said NWs; optionally a second distributed Bragg reflector or metal mirror in contact with the top of at least a portion of said NWs; and wherein said NWs comprise aim-type doped region and a p-type doped region and optionally an intrinsic region there between.

Abstract: A method of processing cardiac ultrasound data for determining information about a mechanical wave in the heart. The method comprises receiving data representative of a time series of three-dimensional data frames, generated from ultrasound signals from a human or animal heart, each frame comprising a set of voxels, each voxel value representing an acceleration component of a respective location in the heart at a common time. The method also comprises identifying, for each voxel, a frame of the series in which the voxel value is at a maximum. A three-dimensional time-propagation data set is generated by assigning each voxel a value representative of the time of the respective frame in the time series for which the corresponding voxel is at a maximum. The method then comprises generating data representative of a three-dimensional velocity vector field by calculating time derivatives from the three-dimensional time-propagation data set.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of bacteriocins, and in particular the production of bacteriocins of class I or II by recombinant expression in coryneform bacteria as the bacterial cell host. Also provided are modified coryneform bacteria for use as production hosts for production of bacteriocins.

Abstract: A process for growing nanowires or nanopyramids comprising: (I) providing a graphitic substrate and depositing AlGaN, InGaN, AlN or AlGa(In)N on said graphitic substrate at an elevated temperature to form a buffer layer or nanoscale nucleation islands of said compounds; (II) growing a plurality of semiconducting group III-V nanowires or nanopyramids, preferably III-nitride nanowires or nanopyramids, on the said buffer layer or nucleation islands on the graphitic substrate, preferably via MOVPE or MBE.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent, or a composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing a bacterial infection in a subject, wherein said agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound, wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X1X2X3X4X5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and wherein: X1 is a basic amino acid; X2 is an aromatic amino acid; X3 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X4 is any amino acid other than Proline (P), an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X5 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P); or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding the oligopeptidic compound of (i). In certain aspects the agent and compositions of the invention may be used as single agents.

Abstract: A composition of matter comprising a film on a graphitic substrate, said film having been grown epitaxially on said substrate, wherein said film comprises at least one group III-V compound or at least one group II-VI compound.

Abstract: A composition of matter, in particular a photovoltaic cell, comprising: at least one core semiconductor nanowire on a graphitic substrate, said at least one core nanowire having been grown epitaxially on said substrate wherein said nanowire comprises at least one group III-V compound or at least one group II-VI compound or at least one group IV element; a semiconductor shell surrounding said core nanowire, said shell comprising at least one group III-V compound or at least one group II-VI compound or at least one group IV element such that said core nanowire and said shell form a n-type semiconductor and a p-type semiconductor respectively or vice versa; and an outer conducting coating surrounding said shell which forms an electrode contact.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent, or composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing hypercytokinemia in a subject resulting from cytokine release from non-proliferating immune cells in blood, wherein the agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound, wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X1X2X3X4X5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and wherein: X1 is a basic amino acid; X2 is an aromatic amino acid; X3 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X4 is any amino acid other than Proline (P), an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X5 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P); or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding the oligopeptidic compound of (i). In certain aspects the agent and compositions of the invention may be used as single agents.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging method in which ultrasound signals are transmitted into a living organism, reflected from fluid flowing along a path within the organism, and received by an ultrasound transceiver system with a resolution limit in a first direction. These signals are used to generate data representing a sequence of images over time; each image including a speckle pattern arising from interference within the reflected ultrasound signals. A peak-sharpening operation is applied to the image data, generating data representing a sequence of resolution-enhanced images, each having a resolution in the first direction finer than the resolution limit of the transceiver system in that direction, and including a respective peak-sharpened speckle pattern. A combining operation is applied to generate data representing an output image in which the path of the fluid is represented by a superimposition of the peak-sharpened speckle patterns from the resolution-enhanced images.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent, or composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing hypercytokinemia in a subject resulting from cytokine release from non-proliferating immune cells in blood, wherein said agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound, wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X1X2X3X4X5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and wherein: X1 is a basic amino acid; X2 is an aromatic amino acid; X3 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X4 is any amino acid other than Proline (P), an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X5 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P); or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding the oligopeptidic compound of (i). In certain aspects the agent and compositions of the invention may be used as single agents.

Abstract: A device for interventions within the body, the device comprising: an end piece 6 for insertion into the body at a distal end thereof, the end piece 6 including a rigid lumen for holding an instrument 10 and guiding the instrument 10 to the distal end of the end piece; and a body section 4 supporting the lumen and being rigidly connected thereto, the body section including a navigation array 14 for guidance of the device using a surgical navigation system and/or including an anchor point 20 for a standard navigation array.

Abstract: A surgical stapler includes a proximal end and a distal end and an anvil at the distal end for providing resistance to staples during the stapling operation of the surgical stapler. The anvil may include a number of segments arranged end-to-end. The anvil is elongated in the collapsed state, the anvil being elongated generally in a first direction D1. The anvil is configured such that the segments rotate about a rotation axis along a perpendicular second direction D2 when the anvil is actuated between the deployed and the collapsed states. The anvil is configured such that adjacent segments pivot relative to each other about a pivot axis along a third direction D3 when the anvil is actuated between the deployed and collapsed states. The stapler also includes an actuator mechanism, wherein the actuator mechanism is configured to be controlled from a location on the surgical stapler towards the proximal end.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent, or composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing hypercytokinemia in a subject resulting from cytokine release from non-proliferating immune cells in blood, wherein the agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound, wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X1X2X3X4X5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and wherein: X1 is a basic amino acid; X2 is an aromatic amino acid; X3 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X4 is any amino acid other than Proline (P), an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X5 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P); or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding the oligopeptidic compound of (i). In certain aspects the agent and compositions of the invention may be used as single agents.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent, or a composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing a bacterial infection in a subject, wherein said agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound, wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X1X2X3X4X5 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and wherein: X1 is a basic amino acid; X2 is an aromatic amino acid; X3 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X4 is any amino acid other than Proline (P), an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X5 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P); or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a sequence encoding the oligopeptidic compound of (i). In certain aspects the agent and compositions of the invention may be used as single agents.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent, or a composition containing an agent, for use in treating or preventing a bacterial infection in a subject, wherein said agent comprises: (i) an oligopeptidic compound comprising a PCNA interacting motif and a domain that facilitates the cellular uptake of said compound, wherein the PCNA interacting motif is X1X2X3X4X5X6 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and wherein: X1 is a basic amino acid; X2 is an aromatic amino acid; X3 is an aromatic amino acid or a hydrophobic amino acid that has an R group comprising at least three carbon atoms; X4 is an uncharged amino acid other than an aromatic amino acid, Glycine (G) and Proline (P); X5 is any amino acid other than an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino acid; and X6 is any amino acid other than an acidic amino acid or an aromatic amino add, preferably a basic amino add or Proline (P), wherein when X3 is not an aromatic amino acid, X5 is not lysine (K) and X6 is a basic amino acid or Proline (P): or (ii) a nucleic acid molecule comprising a

Abstract: A composition of matter comprising at least one nanowire on a graphitic substrate, said at least one nanowire having been grown epitaxially on said substrate, wherein said nanowire comprises at least one group III-V compound or at least one group II-VI compound or comprises at least one non carbon group (IV) element.