Abstract: A composition useful in gene therapy and a method of treatment to effect gene therapy is provided. In particular, a pharmaceutical composition comprising a nonimmunogenic net polyanionic oligosaccharide, such as an oligouronate, associated with a particulate complex of an anionic nucleic acid material and a cationic macromolecule, optionally together with at least one pharmaceutical carrier or excipient, is provided.

Abstract: A method of treatment of a human or non-human subject to combat mucosal hyperviscosity in the respiratory tract, which method includes application to a mucosal surface in the tract in the subject of an effective amount of a physiologically tolerable oligouronate. Related compositions containing physiologically tolerable oligouronates are also described.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of treatment of a female human or non-human subject to enhance cervical mucus penetrability by spermatozoa, which method comprises vaginally applying to said subject an effective amount of a spermicide-free, physiologically tolerable oligouronate.

Abstract: Provided are improvements in and relating to pharmaceutical compositions for oral administration of polymeric biological drug substances and to methods of treatment using such compositions. In particular, an oral and/or mucosal pharmaceutical composition is provided, said composition comprising an enteric-coated drug substance, and also comprising an enteric-coated oligouronate, wherein said drug substance is a polymeric biological drug substance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new method for removing and recovering of acid gases from a gaseous mixture in an absorption plant by adding an organic acid to a stream of the rich absorbent in the desorber in order to release acid gas by shifting the acid gas equilibrium towards the gas side, and the organic acid is subsequently separated from the absorbent. With this method, the energy consumption of the process is substantially reduced. The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing this method.

Abstract: A process for the production of a carbon membrane comprising: (i) reacting a mixture of cellulose and hemicellulose with an acid; (ii) casting the mixture to form a film, (iii) drying said film; and (iv) carbonizing said film.

Abstract: A fixed-site-membrane comprising a support structure coated with crosslinked polyvinylamine, wherein the crosslinking agent is a compound comprising a fluoride. The membrane comprises water, such as by being swelled in water vapour. A process for producing the membranes, and the use of such membranes for separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from gas mixtures are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for producing a reinforced organic polymeric material by mixing a dispersion comprising a plasticizer and cellulose nanowhiskers into a carbon matrix. The nanowhiskers are dispersed in a liquid dispersion and pumped into an extruder in which is arranged the at least partially molten carbon matrix. The extrusion process will thoroughly mix the cellulose whiskers into the carbon matrix, thus providing a homogenous mixture being highly reinforced. The present invention further discloses a polymer produced according to the above process comprising a CAB/CNW mixture, as well as a process for producing said whiskers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for providing encoded video data from a video signal. The method comprises the steps of providing intra-coded picture data and predictive-coded picture data, based on the video signal, and generating a first and a second frame of said encoded video data. In the generating step of the intra-coded picture data is arranged in first and second slices in the first and second frames, respectively. The slices are arranged in an overlapping manner in the frames, advantageously with a vertical overlap my which is equal to or greater than a maximum absolute length of a vertical motion vector. The invention also relates to a corresponding decoding method and device, as well as a corresponding video encoder, a video decoder and a video codec. The invention may be implemented and used in accordance with standard specifications such as H.264.

Abstract: A marine structure like a fish cage (0) for aquaculture, with a net (90) spanned by a tensegrity structure, i.e. a structure comprising compressive elements (1), and tension elements (2).