Abstract: This invention relates to a device for sensing interaction with its surrounding environment, the device including: a plurality of sensing points (11); a plurality of detectors (12), each associated with one of said sensing points (11) and located remotely therefrom; a plurality of channels (14) which connect said sensing points (11) to said detectors (12) and provide a communication pathway therebetween; and communication media filling the channels, wherein each detector (12) is in communication with the associated sensing point or points (11) through one of said channels (14) and the medium in said channel (14) is arranged to transmit, transfer or transduce an interaction of the sensing point (11) with its surrounding environment to the detector (12) through the channel (14). The invention also relates to prosthetics which incorporate such devices.

Abstract: An acceleration measuring device is disclosed, for use as a gravimeter or gradiometer for example. The device has a support and a proof mass, connected to each other by at flexures allowing displacement of the proof mass relative to the support. The support defines a space for displacement of the proof mass. The device is configured so that the modulus of the gradient of the force-displacement curve of the proof mass decreases with increasing displacement, for at least part of the force-displacement curve. This is the so-called anti-spring effect. The resonant frequency of oscillation of the proof mass is determined at least in part by the orientation of the device relative to the direction of the force due to gravity. The proof mass is capable of oscillating with a resonant frequency of 10 Hz or less. The proof mass has a mass of less than 1 gram.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses BTV and ASHV vaccines or compositions and methods of producing recombinant reassortant BTV and ASHV vectors and methods of vaccination against BTV and ASHV.

Abstract: A CMOS-based chip having one or more sensing modalities that are able independently to detect multiple metabolites present in a biological sample. The multiple sensing modalities may be provided at different locations with respect to the chip, whereby the chip can simultaneously detect a plurality of metabolites by measuring behaviour of a test material in the different locations. The chip may utilise paper as a transport mechanism for the sample. The paper either conveys the sample to the different locations or itself provides discrete testing zones in which different metabolites can be independently detected. With this technique, multiple metabolites may be measured in real time using a small scale point-of-care device.

Abstract: A mechanical bioreactor for transferring vibrations to cell cultures for the purpose of stimulating various biological processes across a relatively large (relative to the amplitude of the vibrations) sample receiving surface. This bioreactor allows multiple samples to receive identical stimulation, which may enable the process to be significantly scaled up. The invention may be particularly applicable to nanoscale vibration amplitudes, where it is non-trivial to design a device that performs this function, because many materials exhibit natural deformation on a scale that would mask or inhibit transfer of nanoscale vibration energy.

Abstract: A CMOS-based chip having multiple sensing modalities that are able independently to detect multiple metabolites present in a sample. In particular, the chip provides multiple sensing modalities capable of performing detection within the same physical test volume, i.e. the chip can simultaneously detect a plurality of chemical reactions occurring in the test volume, where each chemical reaction yields a result that is independently detectable. The chip may comprise an optical sensor (e.g. photodiode) and a chemical sensor (e.g. pH sensor, embodied as an ISFET). With this technique, multiple metabolites may be measured in real time using a small scale point-of-care device.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a field-effect transistor in which a native oxide layer is removed prior to etching a gate recess. The cleaning step ensures that the etch of the gate recess starts at the same time across an entire sample, such that a uniform gate recess depth and profile can be achieved across an array of field-effect transistors. This results in a highly uniform switch-off voltage for the field-effect transistors in the array.

Abstract: Provided are nucleic acid constructs, Toxoplasma comprising same, pharmaceutical compositions comprising same and methods using same for delivering a protein-of-interest to a tissue-of-interest of a subject, such as the CNS and further treating a pathology which is treatable by administration of a therapeutic polypeptide in a central nervous system of the subject.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for producing hydrogen and oxygen, comprising the steps of: (i) oxidising a mediator at a working electrode to yield an oxidised mediator, and reducing protons at a counter electrode to yield hydrogen; and (ii) reducing an oxidised mediator at a working electrode to yield a mediator, and oxidising water at a counter electrode to yield oxygen, wherein the oxygen generation step is performed non-simultaneously to the hydrogen generation step, and the oxidised mediator of step (i) is used as the oxidised mediator of step (ii), or the mediator of step (ii) is used as the mediator of step (i), and the mediator has a reversible redox wave lying between the onset of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).

Abstract: This invention relates to a touch sensor having a layered structure, the layers including: a substrate; and a touch-sensitive layer formed of single-layer graphene and having a plurality of coplanar electrodes formed therein. Embodiments of the touch sensor are flexible and stretchable, making them suitable for use as an artificial skin. Further embodiments of the touch sensor are also capable of sensing pressure as well as touch. Further embodiments are substantially transparent and can therefore include a photovoltaic layer under the touch-sensitive layer which can provide a degree of energy autonomy. Further aspects of the invention provide prosthetic devices having such touch sensors forming a sensitive skin, and a method of manufacturing a touch sensor wherein interdigitated electrodes are cut in single-layer graphene by a blade-cutting process.

Abstract: The Invention relates to materials and methods for the treatment of conditions associated with bacterial biofilms, intracellular bacterial infections and/or adherent-invasive Escherichia coli infections, including Crohns' disease. In particular, the invention relates to the use of colicins and bacteria producing colicins, for the treatment of such conditions.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the manipulation of fluids using acoustic waves such as surface acoustic waves. In some aspects, one fluid may be introduced into another fluid via application of suitable acoustic waves. For example, a fluid may be added or injected into another fluid by applying acoustic waves where, in the absence of the acoustic waves, the fluid cannot be added or injected, e.g., due to the interface or surface tension between the fluids. Thus, for example, a fluid may be injected into a droplet of another fluid. Other embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for making or using such systems, kits involving such systems, or the like.

Abstract: A cone-based polarizer includes a beam splitter including a front side (FS) and a back side (BS) part for receiving a first and a second beam portion, respectively. The FS part includes two prisms including parallel first and second FS hypotenuses, and the BS part includes two prisms including parallel first and second BS hypotenuses. A first TIR cone is on top and a second TIR cone is on a bottom of the beam splitter. The first and second TIR cones are aligned to have an essentially common cone axis direction and are configured to add a structured polarization upon retroreflecting. The first and second FS hypotenuses have a FS TIR interface in-between and are angled at about 45 degrees relative to the cone axis direction. The first and second BS hypotenuses have a BS TIR interface in-between and are angled at about 90 degrees relative to the FS hypotenuses.

Abstract: A method of treating a particle beam is disclosed, of interest in particular for mass spectrometry for 14C. A particle beam including positive ions is passed through a charge exchange cell containing a target gas. The target gas is electrically insulating at room temperature and pressure. At least some of the positive ions of the particle beam are converted to negative ions by interaction with the target gas. The particle beam incident at the charge exchange cell includes molecules and/or molecular ions which interact with the target gas to reduce the concentration of molecules as a result of repeated collisions with particles of the target gas. A corresponding mass spectrometry system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A new spectroscopic technique and corresponding spectrometer for molecules in which optical radiation is used to shift the rotational/nuclear-spin energy levels of freely rotatable sample molecules, and in which these shifts are detected using probing radiation. This technique enables the determination of individual polarizability components and/or combinations of these and/or information about the constitution of a sample that follows from these. In particular, it can reveal the enantiomeric constitution of a chiral sample whilst yielding a non-vanishing signal even for a racemate. The technique may find particular use in the analysis of molecules that are chiral by virtue of their isotopic constitution and molecules with multiple chiral centres.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing a compound or a product having one or more characteristics that meet or exceed a user specification, the process comprising the step of selecting a first combination of chemical inputs, optionally together with physical inputs, and supplying those inputs to a reaction space, thereby to generate a first product; analyzing one or more characteristics of the product generated; comparing the one or more characteristics against a user specification; using a genetic algorithm selecting a second combination of chemical inputs, optionally together with physical inputs, wherein the second combination differs from the first combination, and supplying those inputs to the reaction space, thereby to generate a second product; analyzing one or more characteristics of the second product generated; comparing the one or more characteristics generated against the user specification; repeating the selecting and analyzing steps for further individual combinations of chemical and/or p

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of microRNA 29 and precursors and mimics thereof for the modulation of tendon injury and the biomechanical properties of tendon. In particular, the invention derives from the finding that synthesis of type 1 collagen in tenocytes is less sensitive to miR-29 than is synthesis of type 3 collagen, thus enabling the balance between the collagen subtypes to be modulated in favor of type 1 collagen, mitigating reduction in biomechanical properties during healing.

Abstract: Provided is an electronic device, such as a flash memory device and/or a write-once-read-once memory device, where the device has a polyoxometallate that is capable of providing and/or accepting one or more electrons. The polyoxometallate may have a Wells-Dawson structure and the polyoxometallate may comprise a cage and optionally one or more guests. Also provided is a method of using the memory device, the method comprising the step of providing to or accepting from the polyoxometalate one or more electrons to provide a polyoxometalate in a reduced or oxidized state.

Abstract: The invention provides biocompatible implants (“scaffolds”) for use in the treatment of tendon injury and/or modulation of the biomechanical properties of tendon. More particularly, the invention provides biocompatible implants capable of delivering microRNA 29 and precursors and mimics thereof to the tendon. In some embodiments the implant comprises a bioresorbable substrate to avoid the need for surgical removal of the implant once healing or re-modelling is complete.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of agents (including heparin derivatives) for the prevention and/or treatment of CNS damage.