Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of water-soluble cellulose hydrolysis product. The process comprise admixing cellulose with an ionic liquid capable of solvating or dissolving at least some of the cellulose, said ionic liquid being a compound comprises solely of cations and anions and which exists in a liquid state at a temperature at or below 150° C., and in which the anions are selected from halide and cyanate; and treating the resulting solvate or solution with an acid in the presence of water, said acid having a pKa in water of less than 2 at 25° C.

Abstract: A novel astrovirus designated chicken astrovirus type 3 has been isolated and characterized. Nucleotide sequences and polypeptide sequences of this astrovirus are provided with uses of the same and the isolated astrovirus in assay kits and vaccines.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for implementing a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) error detection methodology to compute a CRC error detection code for data according to the methodology, comprising computation means (2) which uses parallel computation (4) to compute the CRC error detection code, and configurator means (3) which uses the CRC error detection methodology to determine a configuration of the computation means required to compute the CRC error detection code, and configures (25) the computation means accordingly, wherein the configurator means is able to use each of a plurality of CRC error detection methodologies to determine a configuration of the computation means required for parallel computation of a CRC error detection code according to each of the methodologies, and the computation means is configurable to allow configuration thereof for parallel computation of each CRC error detection code.

Abstract: Described is an N-terminal hexapeptide fragment of maximakinin, QUB 698.8, which exhibits potent tissue selective actions on smooth muscle. It demonstrates a high degree of selectivity for arterial smooth muscle over small intestinal smooth muscle, causing potent relaxation of arterial smooth muscle, while causing less potent contraction of ileal smooth muscle. It may be used treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and in promotion of angiogenesis.

Abstract: A retrodirective antenna system (1) for receiving an incoming signal (15) from an object (13) and directing an outgoing signal (11) back to the object (13), comprising two or more transceiver cells (3), each of which receives a part of the incoming signal, produces a phase conjugate output signal, which output signals from the cells combine to form an outgoing signal (11) directed back to the object (13), wherein each transceiver cell (3) comprises an antenna component (7) which detects the part of the incoming signal, a processor which receives the part of the incoming signal and produces first and second same-side, sideband (SB) signals of the part of the incoming signal, a phase shift system comprising a first phase element which receives the first SB signal and outputs a SB signal having a first phase, and a second phase element which receives the second SB signal and outputs a SB signal having a second phase which is in quadrature with the first phase, and an IQ modulator comprising an I input port, a Q

Abstract: Described is an N-terminal hexapeptide fragment of maximakinin, QUB 698.8, which exhibits potent tissue selective actions on smooth muscle. It demonstrates a high degree of selectivity for arterial smooth muscle over small intestinal smooth muscle, causing potent relaxation of arterial smooth muscle, while causing less potent contraction of ileal smooth muscle. It may be used treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and in promotion of angiogenesis.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are ionic liquid compositions comprising active pharmaceutical, biological, and nutritional compounds, and methods of use. Further disclosed are compositions of matter including liquid ion pairs alone or in solution and their use; compositions of ionic liquids that are ‘solvated,’ for example, ‘hydrated’ and their uses.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of water-soluble cellulose hydrolysis products, which comprises admixing cellulose with an ionic liquid capable of solvating or dissolving at least some of the cellulose, said ionic liquid being a compound comprised solely of cations and anions and which exists in a liquid state at a temperature at or below 15O° C.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of water-soluble cellulose hydrolysis products The process comprises admixing cellulose with an ionic liquid capable of solvating or dissolving at least some of the cellulose, said ionic liquid being a compound comprised solely of cations and anions and which exists in a liquid state at a temperature at or below 15O° C., and in which the anions are selected from sulfate, hydrogen sulfate and nitrate; and treating the resulting solvate or solution with an acid in the presence of water, said acid having a pKa in water of less than 2 at 25° C.

Abstract: A method of ageing a catalyst material includes at least the steps of: (a) heating a gaseous stream; (b) adding a least one pure hydrocarbon gas and an oxygen-containing gas to the heated gaseous stream to provide a combined stream; and (c) passing the combined stream through the catalyst material. The use of at least one pure hydrocarbon gas and an oxygen-containing gas allows maximum re-circulation of the exit stream from the catalyst material for reuse, while maintaining the correct C, H and O proportions being provided in the combined stream to replicate realistic use of the catalyst material.

Abstract: A sorting apparatus and method for sorting units into a unit storage structure in accordance with a pre-determined order, the sorting apparatus comprising a unit search structure containing a record of units in the unit storage structure, and a unit location pointer structure containing location pointers for units in the unit storage structure, wherein the sorting apparatus receives a unit being sorted, the unit search structure reads the unit being sorted, uses its record of units in the unit storage structure to search for a closest matching unit to the unit being sorted, accesses the unit location pointer structure and retrieves a location pointer for the closest matching unit, and the sorting apparatus uses the location pointer of the closest matching unit to access the unit storage structure and to place the unit being sorted into the unit storage structure in an appropriate position in accordance with the pre-determined order.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing a bioabsorbable, implantable substrate having a graded molecular weight distribution, comprising exposing at least a portion of the implantable substrate to electron beam irradiation. There is also provided a bioabsorbable, implantable substrate comprising a bioabsorbable polymer having a graded molecular weight distribution through at least a portion of its thickness.

Abstract: A bradykinin B2-receptor antagonist peptide, kinestatin, isolated from toad (Bombina maxima) defensive skin secretion, and analogs thereof, is disclosed. The structure of kinestatin is pGlu-Leu/Ile-Pro-Gly-Leu/Ile-Gly-Pro-Leu/Ile-Arg-NH2. Also disclosed are kinestatin analogs, prodrugs including the peptides, fusion peptides and multimeric peptides including the peptide sequences, pharmaceutical compositions including kinestatin and analogs thereof, prodrugs, fusion and multimeric peptides thereof, nucleic acids encoding kinestatin and analogs thereof, and nucleic acids encoding the fusion and multimeric peptides. Kinestatin and analogs thereof (including the prodrugs and multimeric and/or fusion peptides) can be used to treat and/or prevent disorders associated with bradykinin, including cardiovascular disorders, inflammation, asthma, allergic rhinitis, pain, angiogenesis and the like.

Abstract: A method for estimating a radiation dose and distribution for a target volume is provided. The method includes receiving a simulated dose array (606) describing a plurality of simulated dose values for a plurality of voxels in the target volume, generating an energy deposition coefficient function for the plurality of voxels (608), and obtaining a raw fluence array based at least on the simulated dose array and the energy deposition coefficient function (612). The method also includes generating an adjusted fluence array (613) based on the raw fluence array and at least one adjustment criteria, and generating an adjusted dose array (622) for the target volume based on the adjusted fluence array and the energy deposition coefficient function.

Abstract: A freestanding frequency selective surface (FSS) is provided which comprises at least one shorted resonance aperture element (12). The shorted resonance aperture element provides a sensitivity to polarization. The shorted resonance aperture element may comprise at least one short, which may enable the FSS to be freestanding. The invention further provides an FSS device comprising at least one array of the freestanding frequency selective surfaces, and a method of forming the freestanding frequency selective surfaces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the electrochemical transformation of a compound to form a product, the process comprising (i) effecting the transformation in the presence of an electrolyte comprising at least one room temperature ionic liquid, wherein the ionic liquid is air-stable and moisture-stable, (ii) recovering the product, and optionally (iii) recovering the ionic liquid. The process can be used to effect the electrochemical transformation of a wide range of organic compounds.

Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst composition based on an indium salt and an organic ionic liquid, a process for making the catalyst composition, and uses thereof. The catalyst composition is particularly suitable for Lewis acid catalysed electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions, such as Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions an Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions.

Abstract: The invention provides a wellbore fluid which comprises an aqueous continuous phase and, dissolved in said aqueous continuous phase, at least one salt containing an imidazolium cation having at least 6 carbon atoms, and a method of carrying out a wellbore operation, which comprises introducing into a wellbore in a clay-containing formation, a wellbore fluid according to the invention. The described salts are effective shale inhibitors.

Abstract: The invention provides a wellbore fluid which comprises an aqueous continuous phase and, dissolved in said aqueous continuous phase, at least one salt which exists in a liquid state at a temperature below 150° C. and which has an ammonium, phosphonium or sulfonium cation containing at least 5 carbon atoms, or a quaternised nitrogen-containing heterocyclic cation containing at least 6 carbon atoms; provided that said salt is not 2-hydroxy-N,N,N-trimethyl ethanaminium acetate; and a method of carrying out a wellbore operation, which comprises introducing into a wellbore in a clay-containing formation, a wellbore fluid according to the invention. The described salts are effective shale inhibitors.

Abstract: Described is an N-terminal hexapeptide fragment of maximakinin, QUB 698.8, which exhibits potent tissue selective actions on smooth muscle. It demonstrates a high degree of selectivity for arterial smooth muscle over small intestinal smooth muscle, causing potent relaxation of arterial smooth muscle, while causing less potent contraction of ileal smooth muscle. It may be used treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and in promotion of angiogenesis.