Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for cultivation of insect biomass, for example, larvae and/or eggs using a feed comprising lignocellulose incubated with lignocellulose digesting fungal cells; a feed comprising pre-treated lignocellulose for cultivation of insect biomass; and a livestock feed obtained through the cultivation method of insect biomass.

Abstract: Service cells are provided for wireless communication between user equipment and a core network. An aerial vehicle provides service cells for wireless communication between user equipment (UE) and a core network. A plurality of listening cells are provided across a service area associated with an aerial vehicle, and user equipment located in the service area are associated with at least one listening cell. It is determined which listening cells are qualifying listening cells that are listening cells that satisfy at least one predetermined condition, and subsequently at least one service cell in the service area is provided for each qualifying listening cell.

Abstract: Methods, computing apparatuses, computer readable media and systems are described that are for use with blockchain applications. An authority server may communicate a data package to a mining node. The mining node may receive the data package from the authority server, the data package comprising a plurality of datasets, each dataset comprising signal information. The mining node may analyse the data package to convert the signal information of each dataset to a corresponding data output. The mining node may communicate the plurality of data outputs to an authority server and, upon verification of the plurality of data outputs, the plurality of data outputs may be used in establishing a proof-of-work for appending a block record to a blockchain. Encryption and decryption methods may be used to secure data according to methods described herein. In some examples, the signal information of each dataset relates to a polynucleotide sequence and the corresponding data output relates to a read.

Abstract: A method of point cloud generation comprises generating, by a processor, a first point cloud comprising a first set of generated data points; calculating, by the processor, a loss function representative of the quality of the first point cloud, the loss function comprising a smoothness term obtained by constructing vectors between neighbouring data points in the point cloud, performing vector multiplication between neighbouring pairs of vectors, and outputting a smoothness term based on the result of the vector multiplication; and generating, by the processor, a second point cloud comprising a second set of generated data points based at least in part on the calculated loss function of the first point cloud.

Abstract: Hybrid nanopores, comprising a protein pore supported within a solid-state membrane, which combine the robust nature of solid-state membranes with the easily tunable and precise engineering of protein nanopores. In an embodiment, a lipid-free hybrid nanopore comprises a water soluble and stable, modified portal protein of the Thermus thermophilus bacteriophage G20c, electrokinetically inserted into a larger nanopore in a solid-state membrane. The hybrid pore is stable and easy to fabricate, and exhibits low peripheral leakage, allowing sensing and discrimination among different types of biomolecules.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of forming and manipulating bioconjugates. Particularly, but not exclusively certain embodiments relate to methods of reversible carbon-carbon bond bioconjugation using aldol based chemical reactions at physiological conditions.

Abstract: A system for extracting data from a plurality of electromagnetic data signals encoding the data is provided. The system includes a phase modulator which receives an electromagnetic beam, and generates an electromagnetic primary reference beam with a defined phase. The system further includes one or more mixing units, each mixing unit being arranged to receive a respective one of the data signals and a reference beam, and to generate two mixed signals. The one or more mixing units include a first mixing unit for which the reference beam is the primary reference beam. The system also includes a plurality of detection units. Each detection unit is arranged to receive a respective one of the data signals and a respective mixed signal from one of the mixing units, and to obtain a difference measurement indicative of a difference between the respective data signal and the respective mixed signal.

Abstract: The present application relates to nucleic acids encoding polypeptides with ?-etherase activity; polypeptides with ?-etherase activity; vectors comprising said nucleic acids for the production of recombinant ?-etherase; cells, for example microbial cells transformed with nucleic acids encoding ?-etherase activity and vectors, including nucleic acids encoding ?-etherases; a composition comprising ?-etherases suitable for processing lignocellulose and a method that uses ?-etherases or compositions comprising ?-etherases in the processing of lignocellulose and related polysaccharides.

Abstract: A method of analysing an aqueous fluid comprising obtaining a 2D-IR spectrum of a sample of the aqueous fluid using a 2D-IR spectrometer configured to apply a sequence of IR pulses to the sample, wherein the sequence comprises a pump process followed by a probe pulse, where the pump process is a single pump pulse or a sequence of a first pump pulse and a second pump pulse, and a waiting time Tw between applying the single pump pulse or the second pump pulse and applying the probe pulse is from 150 to 350 fs.

Abstract: Described herein are chimeric polypeptides that include one or more Rubisco-binding motifs (RBMs) and a heterologous polypeptide. Additional aspects of the present disclosure provide genetically altered plants having a chimeric polypeptide including one or more Rubisco-binding motifs (RBMs) and a heterologous polypeptide. Further aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically altered plants having a stabilized polypeptide including two or more RBMs and one or both of an algal Rubisco-binding membrane protein (RBMP) and a Rubisco small subunit (SSU) protein. Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making such chimeric polypeptides and plants, as well as cultivating these genetically altered plants.

Abstract: Hybrid nanopores, comprising a protein pore supported within a solid-state membrane, which combine the robust nature of solid-state membranes with the easily tunable and precise engineering of protein nanopores. In an embodiment, a lipid-free hybrid nanopore comprises a water soluble and stable, modified portal protein of the Thermus thermophilus bacteriophage G20c, electrokinetically inserted into a larger nanopore in a solid-state membrane. The hybrid pore is stable and easy to fabricate, and exhibits low peripheral leakage, allowing sensing and discrimination among different types of biomolecules.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to recombinant protein expression systems comprising genetically modified cells wherein the cells are transformed or transfected with tRNA genes to reduce base mismatch due to genetic degeneracy in the genetic code.

Abstract: There is described a method for the preparation of a hyperpolarised agent, wherein said agent comprises at least one —N?, —O? or —S? moiety (optionally protonated) and a secondary binding site; said method comprising: (i) preparing a fluid containing a polarisation transfer precatalyst and parahydrogen; (ii) introducing a co-ligand to interact with the transfer precatalyst to form a polarisation transfer catalyst; (iii) applying a magnetic field or radio frequency excitation to (ii), such that hyperpolarisation is transferred from parahydrogen to a target molecule; (iv) introducing a target molecule containing at least at least one —N?, —O? or —S? moiety, in conjunction with a secondary binding to form a hyperpolarised agent; wherein the co-ligand is selected from the group consisting of one or more of a sulfoxide, a thioester, a phosphine, an amine, CO, an isonitrile and a nitrogen heterocycle.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to genetically modified plants and/or algae with increased carbon use efficiency as a result of an increased ability for bicarbonate to cross membranes within plant cells. Other aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of making such plants and/or algae as well as cultivating these genetically modified plants to increase carbon use efficiency and/or growing these genetically modified algae to increase carbon use efficiency.

Abstract: There is described a method for preparation of an imaging medium via transfer from a hyperpolarised singlet state that is not parahydrogen, said method comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a system containing: parahydrogen; a magnetisation transfer complex, with a molecular symmetry that allows the creation of a singlet state between spin pairs within it, said complex including a reversibly bound small molecule transference substrate; applying a magnetic field such that hyperpolarisation is transferred into the transfer complex, including the reversibly bound small molecule transference substrate; (ii) introducing a recipient complex capable of binding the small molecule transference substrate, said recipient complex including a recipient substrate, such that the recipient complex and recipient substrate, including the bound transference substrate, is hyperpolarised.

Abstract: A charged particle detector is provided. The charged particle detector includes a flexible semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer being doped to form a p-n junction, and an amplifier coupled to the semiconductor wafer and configured to amplify a current or voltage across the p-n junction.

Abstract: There is described a method for the preparation of an aqueous magnetic resonance imaging medium, said method comprising the steps of: •(i) preparing a multiphasic solvent system comprising an aqueous component and a non-aqueous component, said solvent comprising a target substrate and a SABRE hyperpolarisation transfer catalyst; •(ii) adding H2 or parahydrogen gas; •(iii) agitating the solvent system to form an emulsion thereby transferring the spin order from the hyperpolarisation transfer catalyst to the target substrate; •(v) adding a solvent phase-separation promoter; and •(vi) separating the non-aqueous component and the aqueous component wherein the aqueous component contains the hyperpolarised target substrate and provides the aqueous magnetic resonance imaging medium.

Abstract: There is described a method of producing (?)-levoglucosenone, said method comprising, heating lignin to a temperature in excess of 150° C. for a time sufficient to convert a proportion of the lignin to (?)-evoglucosenone.

Abstract: There is provided a chirped diffractive element (20) in the form of a grating (22) configured for supporting a plurality of guided mode resonances (54), which resonances (54) may be considered to comprise a standing wave. Chirping the grating (22) may allow guided mode resonances (54) to be distinguishable in terms of position within a section (34) the grating (22). An incident electromagnetic field may be coupled into at least one of the sections (34) when the electromagnetic field has a wavelength value within a predetermined wavelength range and a sample has a refractive index value within a predetermined index range. The incident electromagnetic field may be reflected by at least one of the sections (34) of the grating (22) exhibiting a guided mode resonance (54).

Abstract: There is described a method for the preparation of a hyperpolarised target molecule, wherein said molecule comprises at least one —OH, —NH or —SH moiety, via proton exchange from a polarisable molecule, said method comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a fluid containing a transfer catalyst; parahydrogen; and a polarisable molecule containing at least one exchangeable proton, such as, an —OH, —NH or —SH moiety; (ii) applying a magnetic field or radio frequency excitation such that hyperpolarisation is transferred from parahydrogen to the polarisable molecule when bound to the magnetisation transfer catalyst; (iii) separately or simultaneously introducing a target molecule, wherein said target molecule contains at least one —OH, —NH or —SH exchangeable proton, enabling hyperpolarisation transfer via proton exchange with the polarisable molecule.