Abstract: The invention relates to agents which prevent or reduce the interaction between actin and one or more of its interacting partners, for use in treating or preventing metastatic cancer in a subject in need thereof. The invention also relates to a method of treating or preventing metastatic cancer, or a method of preventing or reducing epithelial cell to endothelial cell adhesion, comprising administering an agent which prevents or reduces the interaction between actin and one or more of its interacting partners.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of determining whether a subject who has been diagnosed with cancer is likely to develop, or is likely to have developed, a metastasis, wherein the method comprises detecting the level of membrane-bound actin in a sample obtained from the subject. The invention also relates to methods and markers to diagnose, prognose, monitor and/or stage cancer, in particular metastatic cancer.

Abstract: A memristor-based circuit includes a voltage generator that applies a series of voltage pulses to a memristor to progressively change the resistance of the memristor. A comparator: receives an input electrical value; receives an electrical value based on the resistance of the memristor; compares the received values; and, based on the comparison, enables the application of the voltage pulses to the memristor by the voltage generator until a defined condition is satisfied. This circuit can be used to enable the memristor to be programmed to a desired resistance value, such as for use as a non-volatile memory. It can also enable the resistance of one memristor to be replicated to another memristor. By counting the number of applied voltage pulses, the circuit can be used as an encoder or analog-to-digital converter. Other variants of the circuit enable construction of a decoder or digital-to-analog converter, and an authentication circuit.

Abstract: A sensor comprises a plurality of sensor elements arranged in an array. Each sensor element is memristive and has an electrical resistance characteristic related to exposure to a species to be sensed. The sensor elements are arranged to be connectable such that at least one sensor element is connected in parallel with at least one other sensor element. By using appropriate connections, the array of sensor elements can be read.

Abstract: A logic gate includes first and second inputs, first through fourth memristors each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and first and second outputs. The memristors are connected in a bridge arrangement: the negative terminal of the first memristor and the positive terminal of the second memristor are connected to the first input; the negative terminal of the third memristor and the positive terminal of the fourth memristor are connected to the second input; the negative terminal of the second memristor and the negative terminal of the fourth memristor are connected to the first output; and the positive terminal of the first memristor and the positive terminal of the third memristor are connected to the second output. A voltage of at least one of the outputs, or the voltage difference between the outputs, corresponds to the result of a logic operation relative to voltages applied to the inputs.

Abstract: A method of controlling a dynamic physical system comprising a plurality of variable quantities. A model of the system comprising a plurality of variables representing the variable quantities, and a plurality of respective rate equations that describe the rate of change of the variables, is obtained. A control term in at least one rate equation from the plurality of rate equations is identified. A rate control function is derived from, for at least one of the variables in the rate equation, the proportion of the variable to the growth rate of the rate equation, and the rate control function is applied to the control term to provide a stabilized control term. The dynamic physical system is then controlled by modifying at least one of the quantities represented by the variables in the control term, so that the control term derived from the modified quantities is substantially the same as the stabilized control term.

Abstract: Error-correcting circuit includes: component generating a first output from first and second inputs; error detector generating an error flag indicative of whether or not an error is detected in the first output, based on the first output, and the first and second inputs; correction generator generating a correcting output after a first time period beginning with a timing event, based on the first output, and the first and second inputs; and output generator generating an output after a second time period beginning with the timing event. If the error flag indicates a detected error then the second time period may be longer than the first time period, otherwise it may be not longer, and the error-correcting circuit output may include a combination of the first output and the correcting output whereby the detected error is corrected, otherwise the error-correcting circuit output may correspond directly to the first output.

Abstract: Galois Field circuit production apparatus for fabricating a polynomial over GF(2m) in a circuit, comprising, an input device for allowing a specification relating to a desired polynomial over GF(2m) to be entered, a processor and memory for producing an improved, and preferably optimized, netlist, and means for fabricating a circuit from an improved netlist, wherein the processor and memory are configured to factorize a netlist corresponding to an input specification, determining common factors by passing through chains of multipliers following chains of adders, and to use an optimization algorithm on the factorized net list to generate an improved net list, and wherein the means for fabricating operably fabricates a circuit based on the improved netlist produced by the processor.

Abstract: Vertical center of mass movement measuring apparatus comprising an inertial sensing device, for producing outputs relating to rotation and acceleration in its local frame of reference and configured for fastening to the back of an animal, preferably a person, a memory and a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to provide a quaternion corresponding to the rotation of the inertial sensing device and a first acceleration, both based on an output of the rotation sensing device, and the processor is programmed to combine the quaternion and the first acceleration and based on the result of the combination to provide, when the device is fastened close enough to the center of mass of a moving object such as a person, an estimate of vertical displacement, or a derivative of vertical displacement, of the center of mass in a global reference frame.

Abstract: An error-correcting circuit comprises: a component arranged to generate a first output from a first input and a second input; an error detector arranged to generate an error flag indicative of whether or not it has detected an error in the first output, based on the first output, the first input and the second input; a correction generator suitable for generating a correcting output after a first time period beginning with a timing event, based on the first output, the first input and the second input; and an output generator arranged to generate an output of the error-correcting circuit after a second time period beginning with the timing event. If the error flag indicates that an error has been detected in the first output then the second time period may be longer than the first time period, otherwise the second time period may be not longer than the first time period.

Abstract: A system for measuring variation in the gait of a subject comprises a sensor arranged to measure variations in vertical position of the subject while the subject takes a series of steps, a processor, and a display. The processor is arranged to identify a plurality of points in a first one of the steps and a plurality of points in a second one of the steps, to identify a plurality of pairs of the points, each pair comprising one point in each of the steps, to determine a value of height for each of the points in each of the pairs, and to control the display to produce a display plotting the heights of the two points in each pair against each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved antibody specific for the inhibin/activin beta-B subunit polypeptide. The antibody is highly specific for the beta-B subunit in a sample, and does not require processing of the sample with heat or oxidizing agents. Thus, discovery of the new antibody provides for simpler, more accurate immunoassays for a wider range of sample types.

Abstract: Described herein are baculovirus vectors, host cells containing the baculovirus vectors, methods of using the baculovirus vectors for cloning genes, and kits containing the baculovirus vectors.

Abstract: The present invention discloses compositions and methods to measure an amount of Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) in a sample, including a mammalian sample such as a primate, rodent, equine, or bovine sample. The compositions and methods herein also provide antibodies that bind to epitopes on AMH that are stable to proteolysis of AMH.

Abstract: Galois Field circuit production apparatus for fabricating a polynomial over GF(2m) in a circuit, comprising, an input device for allowing a specification relating to a desired polynomial over GF(2m) to be entered, a processor and memory for producing an improved, and preferably optimized, netlist, and means for fabricating a circuit from an improved netlist, wherein the processor and memory are configured to factorize a netlist corresponding to an input specification, determining common factors by passing through chains of multipliers following chains of adders, and to use an optimization algorithm on the factorized net list to generate an improved net list, and wherein the means for fabricating operably fabricates a circuit based on the improved netlist produced by the processor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved antibody specific for the inhibin/activin beta-B subunit polypeptide. The antibody is highly specific for the beta-B subunit in a sample, and does not require processing of the sample with heat or oxidizing agents. Thus, discovery of the new antibody provides for simpler, more accurate immunoassays for a wider range of sample types.

Abstract: The application relates for method for cloning the gene comprising the steps of: 1. Providing a replication-deficient baculovirus vector, 2. Providing a rescue vector comprising (a) nucleic acid sequence which is capable of restoring replication in the replication-deficient baculovirus vector and (b) at least one gene to be cloned; 3. Causing the replication-deficient baculovirus vector and rescue vector to recombine to produce a replication-enabled baculovirus vector comprising the at least one gene to be cloned; and 4. Growing the replication-enabled baculovirus vector within a suitable invertebrate cell, such as an insect cell. Preferably the baculovirus vector is based upon AcMNPV. Also disclosed are replication-deficient baculovirus vectors, rescue vectors, cells containing such vectors and kits comprising such vectors.

Abstract: A method of solving an energy minimization problem, the method comprising: a. constructing a graph representative comprising a set of nodes; two terminals; a set of N-links each connecting a pair of the nodes; and a set of T-links each connecting one of the terminals with one of the nodes; b. assigning a capacity to each of the N-links; c. assigning a capacity to each of the T-links; d. determining a first minimum cut/maximum flow solution which partitions the nodes into subsets, each subset containing one of the terminals; e. changing the capacity assigned to at least one of the N-links and at least one of the T-links in response to a change in the problem; and f. dynamically updating the first minimum cut/maximum flow solution determined in step d. to take into account the changed capacities.

Abstract: A method for diagnosis of pre-eclampsia is disclosed, which comprises measuring the hormone inhibin A in a biological sample such as maternal serum. The method allows non-invasive, early diagnosis and can be used to predict the onset of secondary symptoms.

Abstract: Elevated levels of Inhibin-A in maternal serum or plasma have been shown to indicate the presence of Down's Syndrome. The assay method comprises the use of a monoclonal antibody specific for at least part of the inhibin-A .beta. sub-unit (.beta.A), and another monoclonal antibody specific for at least part of the Inhibin-A .alpha. sub-unit. The .beta.A antibody is used to capture Inhibin-A from the test sample, and the .alpha. sub-unit antibody is used as the detection antibody and is linked to a detectable marker. The method is carried out in the first or second trimester as a screening test to select patients for subsequent diagnostic testing.