Abstract: An optically addressed light valve suitable for selectively limiting the transmission of radiation from high intensity light sources independent of wavelength using a TN liquid crystal cell and a photoconductive material (vanadium doped silicon carbide).

Abstract: An expendable infra-red radiating means having a rupturable container 1 housing a plurality of decoy plates (11) and an ignition means (17) for igniting the decoy plates (11). Each of the decoy plates (11) comprises a composition of a metal and an oxidant capable of an exothermic combustion reaction upon ignition which produces negligible quantities of radiation in the visible or ultra-violet regions and which results, after the combustion reaction is completed, in the decoy plates (11) containing hot metal emitting infra-red radiation.

Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence in a sample, said method comprising subjecting said sample to an amplification reaction using a set of nucleotides, at least one of which is labelled with a first label, and a reagent comprising an amplification primer which can hybridise to said target sequence when in single stranded form and which is connected at its 5? end to a probe which carries a second label by way of a chemical linking group, said labelled probe being of a sequence which is similar to that of the said target sequence, such that it can hybridise to a complementary region in an amplification product, and wherein one of the first or the second label comprises a donor label and the other comprises an acceptor label, the donor label comprising a fluorescent molecule which is able to donate fluorescent energy to the acceptor label; and monitoring fluorescence of said sample.

Abstract: A surface plasmon resonance apparatus for detecting a soluble analyte (e.g. a protein) or a particulate analyte (e.g. a cell), the apparatus comprising: (a) a sensor block adapted to receive a sensor, said sensor, for example a sensor slide, having a metallized sensor surface capable of binding the analyte; (b) a light source capable of generating an evanescent wave at the sensor surface of a sensor slide on the sensor block; (c) a first detector capable of detecting light from the light source which is internally reflected from the sensor surface; and (d) a second detector (e.g. a video camera) capable of detecting light scattered or emitted from an analyte bound thereto. Optionally the apparatus further comprises a second light source for increasing the intensity of the light scattered or emitted from an analyte bound to the sensor surface, preferably, this is sited to such as to minimize the amount of light transmitted therefrom which is detected by the first detector.

Abstract: A high frequency communications system comprises eight multiplexed (112) spread spectrum channels with data in each channel transmitted using, for example, 32 semi-orthogonal codes to enable 5 bits of data to be sent for every coded symbol transmitted. The multiplexed data is connected to a phase shift key (PSK) modulator (117) to modulate an hf carrier. At the receiver, inband interference is removed by frequency excision (92, 128) or weighting, making use of the facts that the interference is generally narrow-band and the spectrum of the frequency components of the received signal should be symmetrical about the carrier frequency. The detected signal is Fourier transformed by an FFT processor (91) and then connected to an interference exciser (92, 128) where signal samples symmetrical about the carrier frequency are compared and any sample which exceeds the respective symmetrical sample by more than a predetermined threshold is excised or given a low weighting.

Abstract: When a ferroelectric liquid crystal display (FLCD) panel is addressed in such a manner as to cause adjacent or successive pixels to display different levels of greyscale, the viewer may perceive a pseudo edge effect caused by the perceived error in the transmission level at the transition between the two grey levels. In order to decrease this perceived error, the panel is addressed such that, at the transition between the two grey levels, for example between the grey levels “3” and “4”, the most significant bit of the addressing scheme incorporates an analogue grey level, for example a half level. This results in a perception level exhibiting a lower absolute error in the relative grey level than would be obtained if no special measures were taken to compensate for the perceived error at the transition. This compensation technique is applicable to addressing schemes utilizing temporal dither (TD) as well as spatial dither (SD).

Abstract: A method of addressing a liquid crystal device having a plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of data electrodes defining a plurality of pixels at the intersections between at least one of the plurality of scanning electrodes and at least one of the plurality of data electrodes, the method comprising applying one frame of a scanning signal to one of the plurality of scanning electrodes, applying a data signal to at least one of the plurality of data electrodes, one frame of the scanning signal comprising n strobe portions, where n is an integer greater than 1, for co-operation with the at least one data signal to address one of the plurality of pixels, and at least one blanking portion, the number of blanking portions not exceeding (n−1).

Abstract: The invention relates to multiplex addressing of a liquid crystal device comprising applying a strobe signal to one of a first plurality of electrodes of the device and a data signal to one of a second plurality of electrodes of the device. The strobe and data signals address a pixel of the device. The data signal comprises one of a SELECT data signal and a NON_SELECT which each have a duration and a discriminating duration which is no longer than the duration. During the discriminating duration the SELECT and NON_SELECT signals are different. The strobe signal comprises a first portion applied simultaneously with the discriminating duration of the data signal and a second portion applied after the discriminating duration of the data signal. By including a section at a larger voltage magnitude in the second portion of the strobe signal than is present in the first part of that signal, improved performance and addressing speed are obtainable.

Abstract: Disclosed are “acid-amide” calixarenes of formula (I) wherein: L is [—CH2—] or [—O—CH2—O—] and may be the same or different between each aryl group R5 is H, halogen, or C1-C10 aliphatic hydrocarbyl group, C6-C20 aryl group, any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more halo or oxo groups or interrupted by one or more oxo groups, and R5 may be the same or different on each aryl group; R1 comprises an optionally protected carboxy group; two groups out of R2, R3, and R4, are H; the one group out of R2, R3, and R4 not being H comprises an amide group. The amide group may be linked to a second calixarene to form a dimer. Also disclosed are methods of use of such calixarenes for the purposes of metal sequestration, especially of lanthanides and actinides. Also disclosed are calixarene dimer derivatives of the calixarenes of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing imaging artifacts in physiological images, such as magnetic resonance imaging images. A model of a physical cause for the image artifact is modelled and the effects of perturbing this model on a focus criterion of the image analyzed so as to optimize the focus criterion. For an optimized focus criterion, the model should reflect the actual physical cause of the image artifact. A focus criterion is a measure of entropy of the image, with an optimized image having reduced entropy.

Abstract: Activated carbon filters containing transition metals, are prepared by (a) exchanging the transition metal with a cellulose ion exchange material to produce a cellulose material containing the transition metal; (b) charring of the product of (a); activating the product of (b) to form an activated carbon filter having a pore network throughout; and removing surface carbon substantially throughout the pore network of the filter formed in (c). Methods of filtering an atmosphere containing a gaseous contaminant by passing the contaminated atmosphere through a filter made by this process are described.

Abstract: A method is provided for the formation of liposomes of 0.1 &mgr;m to 50 &mgr;m in diameter having unilamella or multilamella structure and containing water insoluble or undissolved particulate materials comprising (a) forming liposomes and removing substantially all of any organic solvent used in their preparation, (b) freeze drying the liposomes so formed and then (c) rehydrating them in intimate admixture with the particulate material. Preferred encapsulated materials are particulate materials, most preferably microorganisms, plant or animals cells or water insoluble structures having organic solvent labile biochemical or immunological activity, but any water insoluble particulate may be encapsulated using the method. For example, catalysts or drugs that are sparingly soluble may also be so incorporated such that slow release into the patient's body may be provided while release of detergents included in the many lipoome preparation protocols may be avoided.

Abstract: Apparatus for effecting reactions comprising a plurality of reaction vessels for holding reagents, an electrically conducting polymer which emits heat when an electric current is passed through it, and control device for controlling supply of current to the polymer, the polymer being connectable to an electrical supply via the control device. The control device may be arranged such that different currents and therefore different temperatures can be achieved in each reaction vessel. Certain novel reaction vessels are described and claimed. The apparatus are reaction vessels may be used in carrying out reactions which require multiple temperature stages such as amplification reactions such as the polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract: Disclosed are “acid-amide” calixarenes of formula (I) wherein: L is [—CH2—] or [—O—CH2—O—] and may be the same or different between each aryl group; R5 is H, halogen, or C1-C10 aliphatic hydrocarbyl group, C6-C20 aryl group, C6-C10 hydrocarbyaryl group, any of which may optionally be substituted by one or more halo or oxo groups or interrupted by one or more oxo groups, and R5 may be the same or different on each aryl group; R1 comprises an optionally protected carboxy group; two groups out of R2, R3, and R4 are H; the one group out of R2, R3, and R4 not being H comprises an amide group. The amide group may be linked to a second calixarene to form a dimer. Also disclosed are methods of use of such calixarenes for the purposes of metal sequestration, especially of lanthanides and actinides. Also disclosed are calixarene dimer derivatives of the calixarenes of the invention. Also disclosed are processes for preparing the calixarenes and dimers.

Abstract: An electroclinic device having two spaced cell walls each bearing electrode structures and treated on at least one facing surface with an alignment layer, a layer of a smectic liquid crystal material enclosed between the cell walls, where the liquid crystal material contains one or more of the compounds described by formula I as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A tunable filter in particular for use in the visible or near infrared wavelength region, comprising a nano dispersed composite material contained within a resonant cavity structure comprising dielectric mirrors (15, 16), where the material is polarizable by means of an applied electric field. In particular, the polarizable material may be a nano phase polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) material where the diameter of liquid crystal droplets (2) within the material (3) is less than 0.1 &mgr;m, and for use in the visible wavelength region is typically between 10 nm and 50 nm. The filter also comprises structure for applying a variable electric field across the faces of the material. The transmission-wavelength characteristic of the filter is such that maxima and minima are shifted in wavelength by varying the electric field.

Abstract: A surface plasmon resonance apparatus for detecting a soluble analyte (e.g. a protein) or a particulate analyte (e.g. a cell), the apparatus comprising: (a) a sensor block adapted to receive a sensor, said sensor, for example a sensor slide, having a metallised sensor surface capable of binding the analyte; (b) a light source capable of generating an evanescent wave at the sensor surface of a sensor slide on the sensor block; (c) a first detector capable of detecting light from the light source which is internally reflected from the sensor surface; and (d) a second detector (e.g. a video camera) capable of detecting light scattered or emitted from an analyte bound thereto. Optionally the apparatus further comprises a second light source for increasing the intensity of the light scattered or emitted from an analyte bound to the sensor surface, preferably this is sited to such as to minimise the amount of light transmitted therefrom which is detected by the first detector.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element includes the steps of (a) forming a spacer having a uniform height on a glass substrate having formed thereon scanning lines, a black matrix, an insulating layer and an alignment layer in an area to which the black matrix is projected in a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface; (b) forming an adhesive layer on a transfer substrate; (c) pressing an upper surface of the spacer against the adhesive layer on the transfer substrate; and (d) selectively applying an adhesive only onto the upper surface of the spacer by the step (c). In the step (a), it is preferable that the spacer be formed so as to have a trapezoidal cross section with respect to a plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction.

Abstract: A large area liquid crystal display comprises a layer of liquid crystal material between two cell walls. One cell wall has a common sheet electrode. The other cell walls comprise a plurality of addressing tiles electrically connected together. Driver circuits at the display edges apply addressing voltages. Each addressing tiles comprises a series of m data electrodes and n gate electrodes arranged to form an m×n matrix array of electrode intersections. At each intersection is a pixel patch electrode and a non linear element connected to adjacent source and gate electrodes and to the pixel electrode. The data and gate electrodes continue across the tile surface and around its edges. Adjacent tiles are electrically connected together by an anisotropic glue, or by solder bumps, or electrical bridges. The liquid crystal material may be encapsulated in a polymer matrix or be a non-encapsulated layer. Dyes may be incorporated in the liquid crystal material.