Abstract: The invention relates to subject-specific methods for detecting recurrence of tumours based on an understanding of the clonal/subclonal mutation profile of the subject's tumour and detection of the mutations in their cell-free DNA (cfDNA), typically by multiplex PCR of tumour mutations such as single nucleotide variants (SNVs).

Abstract: An optimized coding sequence of human blood clotting factor eight (VIII) and a promoter may be used in vectors, such as rAAV, for introduction of factor VIII, and/or other blood clotting factors and transgenes. Exemplary of these factors and transgenes arc alpha-1-antitrypsin, as well as those involved in the coagulation cascade, hepatocye biology, lysosomal storage, urea cycle disorders, and lipid storage diseases. Cells, vectors, proteins, and glycoproteins produced by cells transformed by the vectors and sequence, may be used in treatment.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for decellularising human liver tissue to produce human hepatic extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds, for example for use in therapy or disease modelling. The methods involve mechanically damaging cells in the tissue, for example by freeze thaw, and then subjecting the liver tissue to multiple cycles of osmotic stress, detergent treatment and protease and/or DNAase treatment to produce a decellularised human ECM scaffold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for measuring a sensitivity level across a visual field of a subject defined by a set of locations.

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, ?determine the perceptual load (104) of the set of extracted scene features (102) based on a predetermined load model (103), the load model (103) being predetermined based on reference video scenes each being labelled with a load value, ?map the perceptual load to the sensed driving and ?determine a spatial and temporal intensity distribution of the perceptual load across the sensed driving scene. The invention further relates to a vehicle, a system and a method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining a concentration of a glycopeptide antibiotic containing a phenol moiety such as Vancomycin in a complex sample matrix by extracting the glycopeptide antibiotic from a metered portion of the complex sample matrix by exposing said metered portion to an extraction material having an affinity with the glycopeptide antibiotic; and exposing the extraction material to a metered portion of an eluent for releasing the glycopeptide antibiotic from the extraction material; and by determining a concentration of the glycopeptide antibiotic by adding a Gibbs reagent (2,6 dichloroquinone-4-chloroimide) to the metered portion of the complex sample matrix or the eluent; activating the Gibbs reagent and, after the reaction between the activated Gibbs reagent and the antibiotic has stabilized; detecting the reaction product of the activated Gibbs reagent and the antibiotic in said eluent; and determining the concentration of the antibiotic in the complex sample matrix from the

Abstract: The present invention relates to conjugates of cyclosporin with quinolium mitochondrial targeting groups, and their therapeutic uses.

Abstract: This invention relates to memory resistors, arrays of memory resistors and a method of making memory resistors. In particular, this invention relates to memory resistors having an on state and an off state, comprising: (a) a first electrode; (b) a second electrode; (c) a dielectric layer disposed between the first and second electrodes; wherein the dielectric layer comprises nanoparticles of semiconductor material, and wherein in the on state nanoparticles form at least one conductive filament encapsulated by the dielectric layer, thereby providing a conductive pathway between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: There is provided a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) comprising a CD19-binding domain which comprises a) a heavy chain variable region (VH) having complementarity determining regions (CDRs) with the following sequences: CDR1—GY-AFSSS (SEQ ID No. 1); CDR2—YPGDED (SEQ ID No. 2) CDR3—SLLYGDYLDY (SEQ ID No. 3); and b) a light chain variable region (VL) having CDRs with the following sequences: CDR1—SASSSVSYMH (SEQ ID No. 4); CDR2—DTSKLAS (SEQ ID No. 5) CDR3—QQWNINPLT (SEQ ID No. 6). There is also provided a cell comprising such a CAR, and the use of such a cell in the treatment of cancer, in particular a B cell malignancy.

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.