Abstract: A membrane-spanning nanopore is provided that comprises: i. at least one scaffold polynucleotide strand; ii. a plurality of staple polynucleotide strands; and iii. at least one hydrophobically-modified polynucleotide strand, wherein the at least one hydropho-bically-modified polynucleotide strand comprises a polynucleotide strand and a hydrophobic moiety; wherein each of the plurality of staple polynucleotide strands hybridises to the at least one scaffold polynucleotide strand to form the three-dimensional structure of the membrane-spanning nanopore, and wherein the at least one hydrophobically-modified polynucleotide strand hybridises to a portion of the at least one scaffold polynucleotide strand, the membrane-spanning nanopore defining a central channel with a minimum internal width of at least about 5 nm. Membranes comprising the membrane-spanning nanopore and applications of those membranes are also provided.

Abstract: There is described a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding for a functional preproinsulin protein wherein the nucleotide sequence has at least 86% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1. Also described are: vectors comprising the nucleic acid molecule for expressing the preproinsulin protein; host cells comprising the nucleic acid molecule or a vector; a transgenic animal comprising cells comprising the nucleic acid molecule or the vector; a pharmaceutical composition comprising the nucleic acid molecule or the vector; a method of treating diabetes comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the vector to a patient suffering from diabetes; the nucleic acid molecule for use in therapy; and the nucleic acid molecule or the vector for use in the treatment of diabetes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for calibrating a wireless access point comprising an array of multiple (m) antennas denoted Ai (i=1 . . . m), each antenna having a respective internal phase offset ?i. The method comprises receiving a signal from at least one transmitter located at a substantially known bearing from the wireless access point. The method further comprises determining an estimated value for each internal phase offseti such that an angle of arrival (AoA) spectrum calculated for the received signal on the basis of said estimated values matches the known bearing, wherein said AoA spectrum is calculated by treating said multiple antennas as a phased array. A method and an apparatus are also provided for calibrating a wireless access point comprising first and second arrays of multiple antennas, each antenna array having a respective radio unit, and each antenna in an array having a respective internal phase offseti.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new, more potent, coagulation factor IX (FIX) expression cassette for gene therapy of haemophilia B (HB). Disclosed is a vector for expressing factor IX protein, the vector comprising a promoter, a nucleotide sequence encoding for a functional factor IX protein and an intron sequence, wherein the intron sequence is positioned between exon 1 and exon 2 of the nucleotide sequence encoding for a functional factor IX protein, and wherein the intron sequence has at least 80% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1 as disclosed herein.

Abstract: There is described an AAV capsid protein having an amino acid sequence which has at least 98% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 or at least 94% identity to the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4. Also described is a pharmaceutical composition, an AAV capsid and a viral particle comprising the capsid protein, a recombinant AAV vector comprising a nucleotide sequence which encodes for the capsid protein, and a host cell and a transgenic animal comprising the capsid protein or the vector. In addition, there is described a method of transferring a nucleic acid of interest into a mammal comprising introducing a recombinant AAV vector into the mammal, wherein the recombinant AAV vector comprises a gene of interest which is encapsidated into a capsid comprising the capsid protein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control device (1) for a vehicle for determining the perceptual load of a visual and dynamic driving scene. The control device is configured to: receive a sensor output (101) of a sensor (3), the sensor (3) sensing the visual driving scene, extract a set of scene features (102) from the sensor output (101), the set of scene features (102) representing static and/or dynamic information of the visual driving scene, and determine the perceptual load (104) of the set of extracted scene features (102) based on a predetermined load model (103), wherein the load model (103) is predetermined based on reference video scenes each being labelled with a load value The invention further relates to a system and a method.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and materials for treating a seizure disorder such as epilepsy in a patient which employ a vector encoding a modified receptor, the so-called “DREADD” receptor being characterised by (i) a decreased responsiveness to its endogenous activating ligand (ii) a retained or enhanced responsiveness to an exogenous agonist. The modified receptor is expressed in neurons of a seizure focus in brain of the patient, and an exogenous agonist is administered which activates the modified receptor to reversibly alters the excitability of the neurons in the seizure focus leading to synaptic silencing or other inhibition.

Abstract: Apparatus and method establish quantum oscillations at room temperature. A cavity has therein a resonator structure that includes a resonant element and a gain medium. A species of the gain medium has an electronic spin multiplicity capable of supporting a two-level spin system. An optical pump pumps the resonator structure and thereby generates microwave output power through stimulated emission of thermal photons. The species of the gain medium is of a sufficiently high concentration such as to have an ensemble spin-photon coupling rate which exceeds both the cavity mode decay rate and the spin-spin decoherence rate. The optical pump pumps the resonator structure using a short pulse of nanosecond duration, or a burst of approximately a millisecond in duration at relatively low instantaneous optical power, to excite said species of the gain medium into a spin-polarized two-level system that exhibits quantum oscillations in the microwave output power.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inducing CD8+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in a subject which comprises administering to the subject: (i) a first agent which inhibits p38 phosphorylation; and (ii) a second agent which stimulates T-cell receptor (TCR) signalling. The method may be used to treat and/or prevent an autoimmune and/or inflammatory disease in a subject. The invention also provides compositions and kits for use in such methods.

Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound unit including: an ultrasound probe including a first set of imaging transducer elements and a second set of localisation transducer elements. The first set of imaging transducer elements are configured to: (i) produce ultrasound imaging transmissions into the human body, wherein the ultrasound imaging transmissions are focussed into an image scan plane, and (ii) receive reflections of the ultrasound imaging transmissions for generating a two-dimensional anatomical image corresponding to the image scan plane. The second set of localisation transducer elements are configured to produce ultrasound localisation transmissions into the human body for locating the medical instrument with respect to the anatomical image, wherein the ultrasound localisation transmissions extend outside the image scan plane.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis comprising: a support structure comprising a framework deformable between an expanded state and a compressed state and vice versa; and a flow-control structure, supported by the support structure, for permitting blood flow in a first direction, and for restricting blood flow in a direction opposite to the first direction. At least one end of the support structure comprises a plurality of apexes of the framework. The support structure is collapsible into the compressed state by pulling on the apexes, to enable it to be drawn into a sheath having an inner radial dimension smaller than the radial dimension of the support structure in the expanded state.

Abstract: Provided herein are antibodies that specifically bind Tau and methods of using the same.

Abstract: Methods for treating a human subject who has X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP) or another clinically-defined ophthalmological condition due to a loss-of-function mutation in the gene encoding the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) protein, the method comprising administering to the subject a nucleic acid comprising an adeno-associated viral vector comprising an abbreviated human RPGR cDNA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a solution of nanosheets, comprising the step of contacting an intercalated layered material with a polar aprotic solvent to produce a solution of nanosheets, wherein the intercalated layered material is prepared from a layered material selected from the group consisting of a transition metal dichalcogenide, a transition metal monochalcogenide, a transition metal trichalcogenide, a transition metal oxide, a metal halide, an oxychalcogenide, an oxypnictide, an oxyhalide of a transition metal, a trioxide, a perovskite, a niobate, a ruthenate, a layered III-VI semiconductor, black phosphorous and a V-VI layered compound. The invention also provides a solution of nanosheets and a plated material formed from nanosheets.

Abstract: The invention provides light-emitting compositions, including lasing and fluorescent compositions. The invention particularly relates to programmable biological substrates, which fluoresce and/or lase, and which have a wide variety of different applications. The invention extends to use of the fluorescent compositions and lasing compositions comprising programmable biological substrates in fabricating lasers, and in various biological imaging applications, such as in assays.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of detecting a therapeutic cell expressing a dopamine transporter (DAT) at a central nervous system (CNS) site in a subject, which comprises the administration of a DAT tracer to the subject, wherein the presence of a therapeutic cell which expresses the DAT is determined.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for performing passing sensing using wireless digital communications. The wireless digital communications are frame-based with a predefined frame structure. The method includes receiving a reference signal into to a reference channel, wherein the reference signal comprises a direct version of a radio frequency transmission as part of said wireless digital communications; receiving a surveillance signal into a surveillance channel; detecting and extracting portions of the reference signal corresponding to data transmissions based on said predefined frame structure; extracting portions of the surveillance signal corresponding to the extracted portions of the reference signal; performing a cross-correlation on the extracted portions of the reference signal and the surveillance signal to determine a range-Doppler surface; and providing a real-time display of said range-Doppler surface and/or of information derived therefrom.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and materials for treating a seizure disorder such as epilepsy in a patient which employ a vector encoding a modified receptor, the so-called “DREADD” receptor being characterised by (i) a decreased responsiveness to its endogenous activating ligand (ii) a retained or enhanced responsiveness to an exogenous agonist. The modified receptor is expressed in neurons of a seizure focus in brain of the patient, and an exogenous agonist is administered which activates the modified receptor to reversibly alters the excitability of the neurons in the seizure focus leading to synaptic silencing or other inhibition.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for detecting single nucleotide variants in lung cancer, especially stage 3a lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma. Additional methods and compositions, such as reaction mixtures and solid supports comprising clonal populations of nucleic acids, are provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for testing the solubility of a medical dosage form includes a chamber (12) for holding a solvent medium (18), in the preferred embodiment a bicarbonate based buffer system. The apparatus also includes a pH probe (66) which is connectable to a supply of carbon dioxide (32, 34), as well as to a supply of helium (40), the supplies being controlled by a control unit (50). The control unit (50) monitors changes in pH of the solvent medium (18) and, as appropriate, feeds pH increasing and/or pH reducing gas from the supplies (32, 34, 40) into the chamber (12). The control unit (50) is able to maintain a uniform pH during testing or to provide a dynamically adjustable pH during testing, for example to three or more different pH levels in order to test the performance of a drug carrier at different levels of acidity or alkalinity for example, mimicking the conditions of the gastrointestinal tract.