Abstract: Apparatus (1) for measuring fluid flow is disclosed. The apparatus comprises first, second and third ultrasonic transducers (8), the second and third ultrasonic transducers arranged to receive an ultrasonic wave (13) from the first ultrasonic transducer, wherein the second and third ultrasonic transducers are spaced apart by a given distance. The apparatus further comprises a circuit (6) comprising a phase comparator (21) arranged to compare first and second signals (20) from the second and third ultrasonic transducers.

Abstract: A new scanning electrochemical microscopy tip positioning method that allows topography and surface activity to be resolved independently is presented. A SECM tip is oscillated relative to the surface of interest. Changes in the oscillation amplitude, caused by the intermittent contact of the SECM tip with the surface of interest, are used to detect the surface of interest, and as a feedback signal for various types of imaging.

Abstract: A defect centre-based sensor is disclosed. The sensor comprises instrumentation which includes a generator for causing excitation in an active element, for example a diamond, and a detector for measuring a transition in the active element. The generator is an optical source and/or the detector is an optical detector. The sensor further comprises an optical waveguide and a sensor head in communication with the source and/or the detector via the optical waveguide. The sensor head houses the active element having at least one defect centre, for example, a nitrogen vacancy, responsive to an applied magnetic field, electric field or temperature and a signal delivery arrangement, for example at least one lens, arranged to optically couple the optical waveguide to the active element.

Abstract: A method of determining flowrate of a fluid (7) in a pipe is disclosed. The flowrate is determined using a flowmeter having first and second ultrasonic transducers (10; FIG. 8A) separated along the pipe by a given distance (D; FIG. 1) and inclined so that waves in the fluid propagate at a given path angle (?; FIG. 1). For a given inner pipe diameter (d; FIG. 1), there is a given integer number of reflections between the first and second ultrasonic transducers. The method comprises obtaining flow rate measurements using wave packets (18) corresponding to an integer number of reflections which is less than said given number.

Abstract: A method of carrying out mass spectrometry, comprising: using an electrostatic or electrodynamic ion trap to contain a plurality of ions, each ion having a mass to charge ratio, the ions having a first plurality of mass to charge ratios, each ion following a path within the electrostatic or electrodynamic ion trap having a radius; and for each of a second plurality of the mass to charge ratios: modulating the radii of the ions in a mass to charge ratio-dependent fashion dependent upon the mass to charge ratio; fragmenting the ions thus modulated in a radius-dependent fashion; and determining a mass spectrum of the ions.

Abstract: A computer system for use in monitoring blood glucose level monitoring, the computer system configured, in response to receiving electrocardiogram data measured over a given period of time for a given subject, to classify the electrocardiogram data using at least one neural network and a personalised model which is specific to the given subject so as to identify whether a low blood glucose level condition is present wherein blood glucose level falls below a predefined level and, upon identifying the presence of the low blood glucose level condition, to flag an alarm condition.

Abstract: A motile cell sorting device is disclosed. The device comprises a chamber, an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber, and a plurality of discrete barriers disposed in the chamber. Each discrete barrier comprises at least one wall and at least one acute edge orientated towards the outlet.

Abstract: The invention relates to defective interfering viruses and defective interfering virus RNAs that are effective as antiviral agents. The invention also relates to methods for identifying defective interfering virus RNAs that can be used as effective antiviral agents.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises a silicon substrate, a sensor comprising a bulk acoustic wave resonator and an acoustic mirror disposed between the bulk acoustic wave resonator and the substrate, and a CMOS circuit supported by substrate and operatively connected to the sensor.

Abstract: A method is described for selectively depositing a metallic layer (10) including one or more of copper, silver and gold. The method includes depositing a fluorinated layer (5) over a surface (1, 4). The fluorinated layer (5) has a thickness sufficient to substantially prevent deposition of the copper, silver and/or gold between the fluorinated layer (5) and the surface (1, 4) during a subsequent evaporation step using a given deposition rate. The method also includes forming the metallic layer (10) by evaporating, at the given deposition rate, the copper, silver and/or gold over the surface (1, 4) and the fluorinated layer (5). The copper, silver and/or gold preferentially adhere to the portions of the surface (1, 4) not covered by the fluorinated layer (s).

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp-on flow meter is disclosed. The flow meter comprises a moulded coupling element (9).

Abstract: A clamp-on ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. The clamp-on ultrasonic transducer comprises an ultrasound-propagating wedge having a first face and a second face which is inclined to the first face. The clamp-on ultrasonic transducer further comprises a first piezoelectric element which is mounted on the second face and which is directed obliquely at the first face. The wedge has a width, w, between first and second side walls, wherein the width, w, is less than or equal to 10 mm.

Abstract: A flexural ultrasonic transducer is disclosed. The ultrasonic transducer comprises a sealed case which includes a flexible membrane and which defines a sealed cavity. The sealed case has an inside and an outside. The ultrasonic transducer comprises an active element, for example, a piezoelectric element, inside the sealed case supported on the flexible membrane. The ultrasonic transducer includes a liquid in the cavity. The sealed case includes a resilient portion between the inside and outside of the case for allowing equalization of pressure between the inside and the outside of the case. The resilient portion may comprise resilient walls or a thin-wall section, the flexible membrane or the case.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for preventing or inhibiting ice recrystallisation in substances (e.g. biological materials and food products) which are susceptible to ice crystal growth upon cryopreservation and/or thawing therefrom. The methods relate to the use of compositions comprising poly(proline) or a variant or derivative thereof. Also provided are kits and compositions comprising poly(proline) which can be used in the methods of the invention.

Abstract: An ultrasonic clamp-on flow meter is disclosed. The flow meter comprises a moulded coupling element (9).

Abstract: A method of controlling a scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip comprising the following steps: oscillating the scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip relative to the surface of interest; moving the oscillating scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip towards the surface of interest; detecting damping of an amplitude of the oscillation of the scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip resulting from the scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip coming into contact with the surface of interest at the first location; using the detected damping to detect the surface of interest; retracting the scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip away from the surface of interest without first translating the scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip along the surface of interest while the scanning electrochemical microscopy probe tip is in intermittent contact with the surface of interest.

Abstract: A device for generating electrical power, the device comprising a scroll expander with first and second scrolls configured to move relative to each other when a fluid is provided to an inlet at a higher pressure than a pressure at an outlet. The first scroll is configured to provide a magnetic field and the second scroll comprises one or more conductors in which electric currents are induced when the first and second scrolls move relative to each other.

Abstract: A bolometer is described. A bolometer includes a superconductor-insulator-semiconductor-superconductor structure or a superconductor-insulator-semiconductor-insulator-superconductor structure. The semiconductor comprises an electron gas in a layer of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium alloy in which valley degeneracy is at least partially lifted. The insulator or a one or both of the insulators may comprise a layer of dielectric material. The insulator or a one or both of the insulators may comprise a layer of non-degenerately doped semiconductor.

Abstract: A bolometer is described. A bolometer includes a superconductor-insulator-semiconductor-superconductor structure or a superconductor-insulator-semiconductor-insulator-superconductor structure. The semiconductor comprises an electron gas in a layer of silicon, germanium or silicon-germanium alloy in which valley degeneracy is at least partially lifted. The insulator or a one or both of the insulators may comprise a layer of dielectric material. The insulator or a one or both of the insulators may comprise a layer of non-degenerately doped semiconductor.

Abstract: A method of tracking the position of a body part, such as a hand, in captured images, the method comprising capturing (10) colour images of a region to form a set of captured images; identifying contiguous skin-colour regions (12) within an initial image of the set of captured images; defining regions of interest (16) containing the skin-coloured regions; extracting (18) image features in the regions of interest, each image feature relating to a point in a region of interest; and then, for successive pairs of images comprising a first image and a second image, the first pair of images having as the first image the initial image and a later image, following pairs of images each including as the first image the second image from the preceding pair and a later image as the second image: extracting (22) image features, each image feature relating to a point in the second image; determining matches (24) between image features relating to the second image and image features relating to in each region of interest in