Abstract: An emulation apparatus emulates an electrophysiological signal derived from a target area of a human or animal nervous system under the influence of a stimulation signal applied to the human or animal body. A prior signal generator generates a prior signal representing an electrophysiological signal in the absence of stimulation. A test signal representing a stimulation signal is received and used by a modelling unit to derive a modulation signal representing the degree of modulation of the electrophysiological signal, in accordance with a model of the temporal evolution of the modulation of the electrophysiological signal caused by the stimulation signal. A modulation unit modulates the prior signal in accordance with the modulation signal to output an emulation signal representing an electrophysiological signal derived under the influence of the stimulation signal. The emulation apparatus has wide use in neuroscience research, bioengineering and clinical applications.

Abstract: Recombinant adenoviral vectors, immunogenic compositions thereof and their use in medicine, and methods for generating recombinant adenoviral vectors are provided. In particular, the an adenovirus vector having a capsid derived from chimpanzee adenovirus AdY25, wherein the capsid encapsidates a nucleic acid molecule comprising an exogeneous nucleotide sequence of interest are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a droplet encapsulate comprising: a drop of a hydrophobic medium; a peripheral layer of non-polymeric amphipathic molecules around the surface of the drop; and an aqueous droplet within the peripheral layer, the aqueous droplet comprising: (a) an aqueous medium and (b) an outer layer of non-polymeric amphipathic molecules around the surface of the aqueous medium. The invention also provides processes for preparing the droplet encapsulates. Various uses of the droplet encapsulates are also described, including their use as drug delivery vehicles, in synthetic biology, and in the study of membrane proteins.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system (100) for generating a diagnostic model. The system (100) includes a processor (108) configured to analyse a plurality of reference data sets. The reference data sets each include at least one image (230, 240). The analysis identities at least one feature in each image (230, 240). A metric is calculated in dependence on the at least one identified feature. Outcome data associated with at least some of the reference data sets is acquired. The diagnostic model is compiled in dependence on the at least one calculated metric and the associated outcome data. The present disclosure also relates to a method of generating a diagnostic model; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

Abstract: New layered double hydroxide materials useful as intermediates in the formation of catalysts are described, as well as methods of preparing the layered double hydroxides. Also described are catalysts suitable for catalysing the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol, as well as methods for preparing the catalysts. The LDH-derived catalysts of the invention are active in the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol, and show improved activity with respect to Cu/ZnO catalysts derived from copper-zinc hydroxycarbonate precursors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an expanded population of human Breg cells having the phenotype CD19+CD73?CD71+CD25+TIM-1+ and methods for producing the cell population of the invention. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the cell populations of the invention and their use in the treatment of immune-mediated disorders.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of certain ?-lactamase inhibitors in conjunction with one or more ?-lactam antibiotics for the treatment of Strenotrophomonas maltophilia, tuberculosis or Pseudomonas species infections.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a crystalline A/M/X material, which crystalline A/M/X material comprises a compound of formula [A]a[M]b[X]c wherein: [A] comprises one or more A cations; [M] comprises one or more M cations which are metal or metalloid cations; [X] comprises one or more X anions; a is a number from 1 to 6; b is a number from 1 to 6; and c is a number from 1 to 18. The process is capable of producing crystalline A/M/X materials while precisely controlling their stoichiometry, leading to products with finely tunable optical properties such as peak emission wavelength. The invention also relates to process for producing a thin film comprising the crystalline A/M/X material of the invention, and to a thin film obtainable by the process of the invention. An optoelectronic device comprising the thin film is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides recombinant adenoviral vectors, immunogenic compositions thereof and their uses in medicine. In particular, the present invention provides an adenoviral vector comprising the genome of an adenovirus other than AdHu5 and AdY25, wherein the genome of the adenovirus has been modified such that the vector lacks the native E4 locus of the adenovirus and comprises heterologous E4Orfl, E4Orf2 and E4Orf3 coding regions from AdY25.

Abstract: An electrolyser (F) for generating hydrogen from water, the electrolyser comprising an electrode (102), the electrode (120) comprising nanoparticles selected from Group 1 nanoparticles or alloys or composites or mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a 3D centerline of an organ vessel from a plurality of 2D x-ray images. The method comprises the steps of producing a point-cloud of 3D points which represent intersecting and non-intersecting points between projection lines from the 2D images to their respective x-ray sources; fitting a compound curve to the points in the point-cloud of 3D points; removing outliers from the point-cloud; fitting a new compound curve to the remaining points in the point-cloud of 3D points; and repeating certain steps, wherein the resultant compound curve represents the 3D centerline of the organ vessel. The method minimizes reconstruction errors and produces an optimally-reconstructed 3D vessel skeleton.

Abstract: The present invention relates to particles, particularly virus-like particles (VLPs), comprising fusion polypeptides comprising selected repeat units derived from the repeating regions of Type I and Type II circumsporozoite proteins (CSP) of Plasmodium vivax (Pv), together with an amino acid sequence derived from the C-terminal PvCSP sequence. In some embodiments, the fusion polypeptide additionally comprises an amino acid sequence derived from the N-terminal PvCSP sequence and/or a surface antigen polypeptide derived from Hepatitis B virus (HBV-S). The invention also relates to nucleotide sequences coding for such fusion polypeptides, vectors and plasmids comprising such nucleotide sequences, and host cells comprising such vectors and plasmids. The invention additionally relates to compositions, particularly vaccine compositions, comprising the fusion polypeptides or VLPs for use as vaccines for the prevention of malaria.

Abstract: The present invention describes a new functional biomarker of vascular inflammation and its use in predicting all-cause or cardiac mortality. The invention also provides a method for stratifying patients according to their risk of all-cause or cardiac mortality using data gathered from a computer tomography scans of a blood vessel to determine a specific combination of structural and functional biomarkers of vascular inflammation and disease.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a layer of a crystalline A/M/X material, which crystalline A/M/X material comprises a compound of formula [A]a[M]b[X]c, wherein: [M] comprises one or more first cations, which one or more first cations are metal or metalloid cations; [A] comprises one or more second cations; [X] comprises one or more halide anions; a is an integer from 1 to 6; b is an integer from 1 to 6; and c is an integer from 1 to 18, wherein the process comprises disposing on a substrate a precursor composition comprising: (a) a first precursor compound comprising a first cation (M), which first cation is a metal or metalloid cation; and (b) a solvent, and wherein the solvent comprises: (i) a non-polar organic solvent which is a hydrocarbon solvent, a chlorohydrocarbon solvent or an ether solvent; and (ii) a first organic amine comprising at least three carbon atoms. Also described are compositions useful in the process of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of adenosine receptor modulators to affect the circadian rhythm, in particular, to the use of such modulators for the treatment of circadian rhythm disorders. In particular, the invention relates to a composition comprising at least one selective adenosine receptor modulator, wherein said composition modulates two or three, but not all of adenosine receptor subtypes A1, A2A, A2B and/or A3 for use in the treatment of circadian rhythm disorders or for modulating a biological clock.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a microfluidic arrangement are disclosed. In one arrangement, a continuous body of a first liquid is provided in direct contact with a first substrate. A second liquid covers the first liquid. A separation fluid, immiscible with the first liquid, is propelled through at least the first liquid and into contact with the first substrate along all of a selected path on the surface of the first substrate. First liquid that was initially in contact with all of the selected path is displaced away from the selected path. The first liquid is divided to form sub-bodies of first liquid that are separated from each other. For each of one or more of the sub-bodies, a sub-body footprint represents an area of contact between the sub-body and the first substrate, and all of a boundary of the sub-body footprint is in contact with a closed loop of the selected path surrounding the sub-body footprint.

Abstract: A superconducting quantum computing circuit package (1). The package contains a substrate (2) on which a circuit is formed, the circuit including a plurality of circuit elements. The substrate (2) includes holes (8) arranged between the circuit elements which extend through a thickness of the substrate (2). The package also contains a holder (3) with a surface (9) on which the substrate (2) is received, and a cover (4) arranged on an opposite side of the substrate (2). The holder (3) and the cover (4) are formed from a metal and/or a superconductor. The holder (3) also contains projections (12) arranged on and projecting from the surface (9). The projections (12) protrude through the holes (8) in the substrate (2) and contact the cover (4) so to suppress electromagnetic modes in the frequency range of operation of the quantum computing circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detection of analyte interaction with a channel molecule held in a membrane, comprising the optical detection of a modification in the flux of a signal molecule as it passes through the channel molecule by the action of a membrane potential, wherein the modification in the flux is caused by at least partial blockage of the channel molecule by the analyte. The invention further relates to bilayer arrays, components, methods of manufacture and use.

Abstract: A single-shot Mueller matrix polarimeter (1700), MMP, comprising: a polarization state generator (1706), PSG, arranged to receive a source optical field (1704) and provide a probe field (1708) having a plurality of spatial portions, each portion having a different polarization state; a polarization state analyser (1718), PSA, arranged to receive a modified probe field (1716) resulting from interaction of the probe field generated by the PSG with a sample under investigation, and further arranged to apply, to each of a corresponding plurality of spatial portions of the modified probe field, a plurality of retardances and a plurality of fast axis orientations; and a detector (1720) arranged to detect an output (1722) of the PSA.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for confirming that a multiple sclerosis (MS) patient is suffering from a relapse. In particular, methods comprising: comparing a concentration of one or more metabolite(s) present in a sample obtained from the patient with the concentration of the same one or more metabolite(s) in a reference standard, wherein the one or more metabolite(s) are selected from: leucine, lysine, asparagine, phenylalanine, glucose, ?-hydroxybutyrate, myo-inositol, a lipoprotein having a —CH3 group of an HDL and/or LDL, a lipoprotein having a —CH3 group of a VLDL, a lipoprotein having a —(CH2)n group of an HDL and/or LDL, a lipoprotein having a ?CH2 group, and an N-acetylated glycoprotein; and confirming or not that the patient is suffering from a relapse.