Abstract: A method of activating serum and glucocorticoid-induced protein kinase (SGK) is provided wherein the SGK is phosphorylated. The SGK may be phosphorylated by PDK1 and/or a preparation containing PDK2 activity. A method of identifying a compound that modulates the activity of SGK is provided, wherein the activity of SGK is measured by measuring the phosphorylation by SGK of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence corresponding to the consensus sequence (Arg/Lys; preferably Arg)-X-(X/Arg)-X-X-Ser/Thr)-Z wherein X indicates any amino acid, X/Arg indicates any amino acid, with a preference for arginine, and Z indicates that the amino acid residue is preferably a hydrophobic residue. The SGK may be activated by phosphorylation.

Abstract: An improved integrated circuit and a related system apparatus and method. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of logic area or user logic areas; and an actively switchable network capable of selectively connecting at least one logic area with another logic area. In particular, the plurality of logic areas include an array of logic-gates or logic-blocks or custom logic which form functional blocks. The integrated circuit can provide a chip-architecture where the functional blocks are specific hardware functional blocks, hardware functional blocks that are parameterized, and/or programmable functional blocks including programmable processors.

Abstract: A device for supporting at least one arm of an operating person during a surgical or medical operation comprises at least one supporting element for supporting the at least one arm of the operating person, the supporting element being arranged at a carrying structure for carrying the at least one supporting element. The carrying structure is configured such that the at least one supporting element can be lowered or raised for adjusting the height of the operating person's arm. The carrying structure comprises a control mechanism for lowering or raising the at least one supporting element, wherein the control mechanism includes a force load switch for activating the lowering or raising of the at least one supporting element, wherein the force load switch activates the lowering or raising of the at least one supporting element upon detecting compressive and/or tensile forces or motions acting via the at least one supporting element on the force load switch.

Abstract: A device for the delivery of a shape memory securing member into a confined space, the device having an exit for the securing member and means to move the securing member through the exit, the device further including a magazine having a plurality of channels each of which can store a securing member is described. Preferably, each securing member is restrained in the device in a first configuration, and upon passing through the exit adopts a second configuration. One form of the magazine is a barrel. The barrel may be rotatable around an axis, and the channels can be disposed parallel to said axis or may lie in a helical configuration. This arrangement can be likened to a “revolver barrel” on a firearm. One advantage of the present invention in surgery is that it can store several sutures or ligature multiple placements without the need to withdraw the instrument from the patient.

Abstract: A device for decomposing the oxides of nitrogen (Nox) contained in effluent compositions, such as the exhaust gases generated by automotive combustion engines, is described. In one embodiment, the device includes a reaction chamber containing an oxidisable material which when the device is in use will undergo an oxidation/reduction reaction with nitrogen oxides of nitrogen oxidation states greater than 2, especially nitrogen dioxide, to generate nitrogen and an oxide of the oxidisable material. The oxidisable material is regenerated using an electromotive force. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the reaction chamber containing the oxidisable material is associated with a further reaction chamber which is arranged upstream of the reaction chamber containing the oxidisable material. This further reaction chamber contains an oxidation catalyst which is able to oxidize nitric oxide (NO) to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or other nitrogen oxides having a nitrogen oxidation state greater than 2.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing particles and/or other undesirable components from a gas stream includes a container containing a liquid, an inlet for the gas stream permitting wetting of at least a portion of the gas stream, and an outlet from the container for cleaned gas. The inlet and/or the outlet includes condensing means for cooling desired fractions of the gas stream and/or cleaned gas. The liquid may be such as to wet the particulates, thereby retaining them in the liquid while the gas passes through the liquid to the outlet. Methods for removing particulates and/or other undesirable components from a gas stream are also provided.

Abstract: A bacterial cell containing a functional cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system, said cell comprising a genetic construct capable of expressing a cytochrome P450 and genetic construct capable of expressing, separately from said cytochrome P450, a cytochrome P450 reductase, wherein each of the cytochrome P450 and the cytochrome P450 reductase have at their N-terminus a bacterial signal peptide. The cytochrome P450 and the cytochrome P450 reductase may be encoded by different constructs or the same construct. A bacterial cell containing a cytochrome P450 comprising a genetic construct encoding, and capable of expressing, said cytochrome P450 wherein the cytochrome P450 has, at is N-terminal, a bacterial signal peptide. The bacterial cells are useful as, for example, bioreactors, in drug testing and mutagenicity testing and as a source of cytochrome P450.

Abstract: A method of identifying embryonic or fetal red blood cells in a sample containiing maternal blood cells and embryonic or fetal red blood cells or both, the method comprising determining which cell or cells contain or express an adult liver component. A method of isolating embryonic or fetal red blood cells from a sample containing maternal blood cells and embryonic or fetal red blood cells or both, the method comprising isolating the cells which contain or express an adult liver component. A method of determining a fetal abnormality the method comprising identifying or isolating embryonic or fetal cells according to the above methods and analysing said embryonic or early fetal cells for said abnormality. Use of a means for determining whether a cell contains or expresses an adult liver component for identifying or isolating an embryonic or fetal red blood cell.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for the detection of dental caries. The method comprises the steps of placing at least one probe electrode in electrical contact with a surface of a patient's tooth, placing a second electrode in electrical contact with another part of the body of the patient, passing an alternating electrical current between said probe and second electrodes, and measuring the electrical impedance between the electrodes.

Abstract: A method for interfering with the binding between p53 and MDM2 or a protein having a p53 binding site analogous to that of MDM2, which method comprises administering a effective amount of a compound, selected from the group consisting of a peptide having up to twenty eight amino acids which is able to disrupt or prevent binding between p53 and MDM2, or a functional peptide analogue thereof.Compounds for use in the method, methods for detecting such compounds and their application in the diagnosis and treatment of tumors is also described and claimed.

Abstract: There is described a method of chemically depositing a substance. The method is of utility in the direct manufacture of integrated circuits and in the manufacture of a photomask for use in production of integrated circuits. The method involves the use of a compound which degrades into a deposit and a residue when a radiant beam (e.g. a laser beam) or a particle beam (e.g. an electron beam) is applied. The residue and any unreacted compound may be washed off the substrate to which it has been applied. Nanoscale dimensions of the deposit can be achieved. A particularly suitable organometallic compound is tetra-sec butyl diaurum difluoride.

Abstract: A method for determining the anti-microbial activity of a putative anti-microbial agent includes combining a microbially required nucleotide phosphatase, a nucleoside phosphate and the substance to be tested, and assessing the extent of degradation of the nucleoside phosphate in the presence and absence of the substance. The method thus allows the determination of the extent of inhibition of the nucleotide phosphatase by the substance. Preferably the method determines the degree of inhibition of an RNA helicase such as DbpA, which acts selectively on prokaryotic ribosomal RNA. Suitable DbpA inhibitors as well as genetic material encoding for an active form of DbpA are used.

Abstract: An oxidation and/or combustion catalyst comprising at least one metal or oxide thereof chosen from the group consisting of palladium, platinum, nickel, cobalt and iron which is in combination with zinc metal or zinc metal oxide so as to result in a catalyst having said metal or oxide thereof to zinc metal or zinc metal oxide in a molar ratio of 1:2 and the catalyst is in the form of a close admixture or alloy, the catalyst further comprising a rare earth metal oxide.

Abstract: A method of treatment of a shape memory alloy involves shot peening of the alloy sample, thereby causing a crystal to amorphous transition of a surface layer of the sample without substantially affecting bulk characteristics of the material, particularly its shape memory behavior and biocompatibility. The method may be used for surface hardening and to reduce coefficients of friction. The method may be advantageously used for treating tissue sutures and orthodontic devices such as dental archwires.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel approach to attenuating bacteria and for their use as live vaccines. The vaccines can be used in human and animal medicine.In particular, there is disclosed a method of attenuating a bacteria by mutating a gene concerned with the regulation of one or more genes concerned with expression of outer membrane proteins, particularly porin proteins.

Abstract: There is described a method of chemically depositing a substance. The method is of utility in the direct manufacture of integrated circuits and in the manufacture of a photomask for use in production of integrated circuits. The method involves the use of a compound which degrades into a deposit and a residue when a radiant beam (e.g., a laser beam) or a particle beam (e.g., an electron beam) is applied. The residue and any unreacted compound may be washed off the substrate to which it has been applied. Nanoscale dimensions of the deposit can be achieved. A particularly suitable organometallic compound is tetra-sec butyl diaurum difluoride.

Abstract: As replacements for chlorofluorcarbons, hydro(chloro)fluorocarbons are synthesized by hydrogenating chlorofluorocarbons over a Pd/ZnO/.gamma.--Al.sub.2 O3 catalyst. The ZnO is partially reduced before use and assists the Pd to function catalytically for days instead of hours despite the evolution of halogen.

Abstract: A method for interfering with the binding between p53 and MDM2 or a protein having a p53 binding site analogous to that of MDM2, which method comprises administering a effective amount of a compound, selected from the group consisting of a peptide having up to twenty eight amino acids which is able to disrupt or prevent binding between p53 and MDM2, or a functional peptide analogue thereof.Compounds for use in the method, methods for detecting such compounds and their application in the diagnosis and treatment of tumours is also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method of identifying a compound which interferes with the binding of MDM2 to human p53 has been determined. This method comprises forming a mixture between MDM2 and a fragment of human p53 consisting of 6 to 28 amino acids comprising TFSDLW (SEQ ID NO:2), adding a test compound to the mixture and determining the quantity of protein bound to the other before and after adding the compound. A compound which decreases the amount of binding of the two proteins to each other is a compound which interferes with the binding of MDM2 to human p53.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel approach to attenuating bacteria and for their use as live vaccines. The vaccines can be used in human and animal medicine.In particular, there is disclosed a method of attenuating a bacteria by mutating a gene concerned with the regulation of one or more genes concerned with expression of outer membrane proteins, particularly porin proteins.