Abstract: This disclosure concerns photonics and in particular the addressing of individual targets in solids. In aspect one there is provided a device comprising a solid substrate with one or more atomic scale targets in the substrate. A laser light is focused on a region of the substrate that contains a single target to selectively cause photoionization of the target. A charge sensor with sub-electron charge sensitivity is focussed on measuring the charge in the region of the substrate that contains a single target. In use, the device operates such that the laser is turned on to cause photoionization of the target, and the charge sensor detects the change in charge in the region of the substrate that contains the single target. In another aspect is the method for optically investigating individual nuclear spin states of single atoms by investigating both the Zeeman effect and the hyperfine interaction of the single atoms.

Abstract: A stand for a musical instrument, the stand comprising: a base; an upright having an upper end and extending upwardly from the base to the upper end; a member comprising a first end portion and a second end portion, the member being mounted on the upper end of the upright between the first end portion and the second end portion; an attachment fitting mounted on the first end portion and configured to releasably attach the musical instrument; and a counterweight mounted on the second end portion for balancing the weight of the musical instrument.

Abstract: A bladed solar thermal receiver for absorbing concentrated sunlight is disclosed. The receiver includes a plurality of panels arranged in a bladed configuration for absorbing sunlight. The bladed configurations can be radial or planar. The receiver design increases the effective solar absorptance and efficiency by providing a light trap for the incident solar radiation while reducing heat losses from radiation and convection.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radiolabelled material comprising a polymer, a radioactive isotope, and an immobilizing agent, wherein the immobilizing agent is capable of immobilizing the radioactive isotope on or in the polymer, and wherein the immobilizing agent is a macromolecule comprising electron donating groups. The invention also relates to a process for making a radiolabelled material, to use of a radiolabelled material for the preparation of medicaments for treating cancer and/or for radiation imaging, and to use of a radiolabelled material in the treatment of cancer. There is further described use of an immobilizing agent to immobilize a radioactive isotope on or in a polymer.

Abstract: A method for assessing the function of at least one sensory field of a subject, and apparatus and systems for carrying out the method, the method comprising: using a display, presenting stimuli to selected locations of the sensory field, the selected locations being centered at points on a sampling grid spanning a portion of the sensory field, wherein the individual stimuli if presented simultaneously at the sampling grid points would overlap in the space defined by the sensory dimensions of the field; using a sensor, detecting responses in the subject's sensory field evoked by the stimuli; and processing the detected responses to relate them to the function of the subject's sensory field at the selected locations.

Abstract: A method of generating a protein with an improved functional property, the method comprising: (a) identifying at least one Target amino acid Residue in a first protein, wherein said Target amino acid Residue is associated with said functional property; (b) comparing at least one homologous second protein from the same or a different phylogenetic branch as the first protein with the first protein and identifying at least one Variant amino acid Residue between the first protein and the second protein; (c) selecting at least one Candidate amino acid Residue from the Variant amino acid Residue identified in (b) on the basis of said Candidate amino acid Residue affecting said Target amino acid Residue with respect to said functional property; (d) forming at least one Candidate Mutant protein in silico or producing at least one Candidate Mutant protein in vitro in which said at least one Candidate amino acid Residue from the second protein substitutes a corresponding residue in the first protein; and (e) screeni

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for modulating or inhibiting modulation of the root architecture of a plant employing a new class of root architecture regulator (RAR) peptides, nucleotides encoding same, receptors therefor, binding agents thereof or agonists or antagonists thereof. Such methods encompass methods for increasing nutrient uptake by plants, increasing root nodule formation, promoting lateral root growth and development of plants, as well as methods for inhibiting root architecture modification resulting from root knot nematode action on plant roots. Also provided are RAR peptides, polynucleotides encoding RAR peptides and vectors and host cells comprising same, and plants obtained by methods of the invention or comprising RAR-encoding trans genes.

Abstract: A method (500) for constructing a three-dimensional (3D) wave field representation of a 3D wave field using a two-dimensional (2D) sensor array (110), said method comprising: acquiring 3D wave field signals using a 2D array (110) of sensors (340, 350), said 2D array (110) of sensors (340, 350) comprising omnidirectional sensors (340) and first order sensors (350) arranged in a 2D plane; digitizing said acquired 3D wave field signals; computing even coefficients of spherical harmonics dependent upon said digitized 3D wave field signals acquired by said omnidirectional sensors (340); computing odd coefficients of said spherical harmonics dependent upon said digitized 3D wave field signals acquired by said first order sensors (350); and constructing a 3D wave field representation dependent upon said computed even and odd coefficients for said acquired 3D wave field signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for exfoliating a laminar material to form an exfoliated material, in which the laminar material is ultrasonicated in a solution of a surfactant for sufficient time to form the exfoliated material. At all times during the ultrasonication the concentration of the surfactant in the solution is maintained sufficient to form a complete monolayer on the surfaces of the laminar material and the exfoliated material in the solution, or sufficient to sterically stabilize the laminar and exfoliated materials against aggregation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing the function of parts of one or more sensory fields of a subject. Pupillary responses to at least two clustered ensembles of stimuli presented to predetermined portions of the sensory fields to be tested are measured. Each cluster comprises individual stimuli presented at locations across the sensory field, where the locations are defined on appropriate axes for the tested sensory fields. The method comprises: presenting statistically independent sequences of selected individual stimuli from the two or more clustered stimulus ensembles to a sensory field of a subject, thereby evoking pupillary responses in at least one pupil of the subject; detecting responses of the pupil or pupils evoked by the stimuli using at least one sensor; and processing the detected responses to relate the detected response to the sensory function of each component part of the sensory field.

Abstract: An optical parametric generator comprises a seed laser feeding an optical system. The seed laser is arranged to provide a seed beam at either a signal frequency of a signal wave or an idler frequency of an idler wave. Further, the optical parametric generator comprises a pump laser of a defined type feeding the optical system. The pump laser emits ultra-short optical pulses as a pump wave. In addition, the optical parametric generator comprises a second order non-linear crystal of a defined type arranged in the optical system. The defined type of the crystal and the defined type of the pump laser are selected so that the signal wave or the idler wave are locked in an edge of the pump wave.

Abstract: An optical parametric generator comprises a seed laser feeding an optical system. The seed laser is arranged to provide a seed beam at either a signal frequency of a signal wave or an idler frequency of an idler wave. Further, the optical parametric generator comprises a pump laser of a defined type feeding the optical system. The pump laser emits ultra-short optical pulses as a pump wave. In addition, the optical parametric generator comprises a second order non-linear crystal of a defined type arranged in the optical system. The defined type of the crystal and the defined type of the pump laser are selected so that the signal wave or the idler wave are locked in an edge of the pump wave.

Abstract: A method of generating a protein with an improved functional property, the method comprising: (a) identifying at least one Target amino acid Residue in a first protein, wherein said Target amino acid Residue is associated with said functional property; (b) comparing at least one homologous second protein from the same or a different phylogenetic branch as the first protein with the first protein and identifying at least one Variant amino acid Residue between the first protein and the second protein; (c) selecting at least one Candidate amino acid Residue from the Variant amino acid Residue identified in (b) on the basis of said Candidate amino acid Residue affecting said Target amino acid Residue with respect to said functional property; (d) forming at least one Candidate Mutant protein in silico or producing at least one Candidate Mutant protein in vitro in which said at least one Candidate amino acid Residue from the second protein substitutes a corresponding residue in the first protein; and (e) screeni

Abstract: A method of generating a protein with an improved functional property, the method comprising: (a) identifying at least one Target amino acid Residue in a first protein, wherein said Target amino acid Residue is associated with said functional property; (b) comparing at least one homologous second protein from the same or a different phylogenetic branch as the first protein with the first protein and identifying at least one Variant amino acid Residue between the first protein and the second protein; (c) selecting at least one Candidate amino acid Residue from the Variant amino acid Residue identified in (b) on the basis of said Candidate amino acid Residue affecting said Target amino acid Residue with respect to said functional property; (d) forming at least one Candidate Mutant protein in silico or producing at least one Candidate Mutant protein in vitro in which said at least one Candidate amino acid Residue from the second protein substitutes a corresponding residue in the first protein; and (e) screeni

Abstract: The invention provides a method for increasing the usable surface area of a semiconductor wafer having a substantially planar surface and a thickness dimension at right angles to said substantially planar surface, the method including the steps of selecting a strip thickness for division of the wafer into a plurality of strips, selecting a technique for cutting the wafer into the strips at an angle to the substantially planar surface, in which the combined strip thickness and width of wafer removed by the cutting is less than the thickness of the wafer, cutting the wafer into strips using the selected technique and separating the strips from each other.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a radiolabeled synthetic polymer, the method comprising contacting a synthetic polymer with a carbon encapsulated nanoparticle composite having a radioactive particulate core in an aqueous medium comprising an electrolyte concentration or pH selected to promote short-range attractive forces between the nanoparticles and the synthetic polymer by attenuating long-range electrostatic repulsive forces.

Abstract: Described herein are distonic radical anion species of formula (I): RAD-L-NEG; wherein RAD is a group comprising a radical; NEG is a group comprising an anion, which is capable of bonding to a proton or other cation; L is a linker that links NEG to RAD; and the radical of RAD is not ?-conjugated to the anion of NEG.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a radiolabeled macromolecule, the method comprising contacting a macromolecule with a carbon encapsulated nanoparticle composite having a radioactive particulate core in an aqueous medium comprising a pH selected to promote short-range attractive forces between the nanoparticles and the macromolecule by attenuating repulsive electrostatic forces.

Abstract: A method and a system is provided for configuring a device for correcting the effect of a medium on a light signal having propagated through the medium, the device including at least one optical element whose phase profiles are individually adjustable. The configuring system and method include propagating a reference signal and a disordered signal obtained at the output of the medium through the correcting device. An interference parameter is measured and optimized by modifying the phase profile of each of the optical elements of the correcting device. A method and a system is also provided for correcting the effect of a medium on a light signal having propagated through the medium.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a material having formula (A3+((4-5n)/3)-?B5+n)xTi1?xO2, wherein 0<n<0.8, ? and x is such that the material has a rutile structure, 0<n<0.8, ? is between 0 and 0.025 inclusive, A3+ is a trivalent positive ion and B5? is a pentavalent positive ion. A process for making the material, and its use as a dielectric material, are also described.