Abstract: Use of an isolated Ensifer adhaerens strain OV14 deposited under NCIMB Accession Number 4177, or an isolated variant thereof characterized by a 16S rRNA gene having at least 98.6% sequence homology with SEQUENCE ID NO: 1, as a gene delivery system in the genetic transformation of a plant cell or plant material is described.

Abstract: A method of assessing biofilm thickness in a membrane supported biofilm reactor (MSBR) of the type comprising a lumen containing a gas phase, a liquid phase, and a gas permeable membrane providing an interface between the gas and liquid phases, the method comprising the steps of charging the lumen with an inert gas, closing the lumen to establish an initial elevated pressure in the lumen, measuring the rate of change of pressure within the lumen, and correlating the rate of change of pressure (dP/dt) with biofilm thickness. The step of correlating dP/dt with biofilm thickness involves correlating dP/dt with the rate of diffusion of the inert gas (dn/dt), correlating dn/dt with an overall mass transfer coefficient (K), correlating K with the mass transfer coefficient of the biofilm (kB), and correlating kB with the biofilm thickness.

Abstract: A self-cleaning optical system for the transmission or reflection of light to and/or from a process region comprises a liquid bath and a transparent or reflective optical component continuously rotatable about a non-vertical axis so that a lower part of the component continuously rotates through the bath. When the component emerges from the bath, a coating of the liquid remains thereon which forms a substantially uniform film on at least a part of the component through which the light is transmitted or from which the light is reflected.

Abstract: A method for predicting the athletic performance potential of a subject comprising the step of assaying a biological sample from a subject for a genetic variant in linkage disequilibrium with MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP. The invention also provides an assay for determining the athletic performance potential of a subject.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing microparticles using an emulsion based synthesis route including: Providing a first fluid phase and a second fluid phase, wherein the first fluid phase is a continuous phase and the second fluid phase is a dispersed phase comprising a dispersed material, wherein the continuous phase is immiscible with the dispersed phase; Mixing the first continuous phase and the second dispersed phase in the presence of a surfactant in a shear device to form an emulsion of droplets of controllable size and having a narrow drop size distribution; Drying the emulsion to form microparticles of controllable size and having narrow size distribution, and wherein the microparticles may comprise spherical, crumpled, dimpled, porous or hollow microparticles morphology. Also provided is a system including shear device and drying arrangement. Also provided are micro particles of controllable size and morphology formed by the method.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the treatment of demyelination as an underlying cause of the disease of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a mammal, the method comprising promoting remyelination of myelination of axonal cells by administering to the mammal a 2-oxopyrrolidine compound having a general formula I: wherein R?R??H, and R??CH2CONH-(2,6CH3)C6H3 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: A method for performing magnetic resonance measurements on a sample includes applying a first predetermined number of pulse trains for excitation, each pulse train having a constant amplitude and including a second predetermined number of pulses spaced by a predetermined time interval. The pulse trains are modulated by a bent function. After each pulse, data is sampled. Preferably a square number of pulses is generated being constant in power, and the Walsh transform of the sequence of their phases is constant in power, so that the power of the excitation in time and frequency domain is constant. The method can reduce power requirements and may permit undercutting specific absorption rate (SAR) limits due to the small excitation power necessary to create time signals with reasonable signal to noise ratio.

Abstract: A sleep monitoring system includes an ECG device (2) and a respiration inductance plethysmogram (3) which monitor cardiac activity and physical (ribcage) respiration respectively and feed representative signals to a digital data processor. Operations (5-9) process the beat interval data, while in a second thread, operations (20-24) independently process the amplitude modulation of the ECG data caused by the respiratory motion of the subject. The inductance plethysmogram device (3) provides an input to the processor which represents respiration as directly monitored independently of the ECG. Operations (30-34) process this direct respiration data independently and in parallel, in a third thread. All extracted features are fed to a classifier which in step (10) combines selected combinations of features to make decisions in real time.

Abstract: A system for search and discovery of information in a real time network, comprising: means for gathering data indicative of a message posted in an real time network, the data comprising information identifying a uniform resource locator, URL and textual information associated with the URL; means for indexing the gathered data; means for querying the indexed data; and means for ranking the queried data.

Abstract: The invention concerns methods of classifying patients having idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and of determining a preferred therapy for the treatment of IPF based on the presence or absence of the C1234T polymorphism in the toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) gene of such patients.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a macrocyclic derivative which is formed by modification of a macrocycle. The invention further relates to assemblies formed by the self-assembly of such macrocyclic derivatives in aqueous solvent, and includes bilayer vesicles, micelles, monolayers, nanoparticles, colloidal assemblies and surface-coated assemblies.

Abstract: A method of assessing biofilm thickness in a membrane supported biofilm reactor (MSBR) of the type comprising a lumen containing a gas phase, a liquid phase, and a gas permeable membrane providing an interface between the gas and liquid phases, the method comprising the steps of charging the lumen with an inert gas, closing the lumen to establish an initial elevated pressure in the lumen, measuring the rate of change of pressure within the lumen, and correlating the rate of change of pressure (dP/dt) with biofilm thickness. The step of correlating dP/dt with biofilm thickness involves correlating dP/dt with the rate of diffusion of the inert gas (dn/dt), correlating dn/dt with an overall mass transfer coefficient (K), correlating K with the mass transfer coefficient of the biofilm (ICB), and correlating k? with the biofilm thickness.

Abstract: There is provided a method of aggregating a plurality of beads in a magnetic bead aggregation assay for subsequent analysis comprising: —providing magnetic beads comprising a capture probe for binding with said target analyte; —reacting the magnetic beads with the sample including a target analyte in a reaction chamber aggregating the magnetic beads in the presence of a magnetic field with the target analyte to allow formation of magnetic bead aggregates having physical properties detectable to enable characterisation of the aggregates on an aggregate by aggregate basis using a detector to measure the physical properties of the aggregates. Further provided are a method and system for detecting analytes in a sample by characterising the magnetic bead aggregates on an aggregate by aggregate basis by measuring physical properties of the aggregates.

Abstract: The invention relates to IHG-1 (induced by high glucose-1) a novel gene which encodes a protein that amplifies fibrotic responses in in vitro and in vivo models of fibrotic disorders and in human diabetic nephropathy. In particular the invention relates to modifications of the IHG-1 structure which are potential fibrosuppressant biotherapeutics and modify cellular invasiveness. The invention also relates to a method of screening a therapeutic agent for suitability for the treatment of fibrotic disease comprising testing a candidate therapeutic agent for the ability to reduce the expression of IHG-1 levels in a model system.

Abstract: A sleep monitoring system includes an ECG device (2) and a respiration inductance plethysmogram (3) which monitor cardiac activity and physical (ribcage) respiration respectively and feed representative signals to a digital data processor. Operations (5-9) process the beat interval data, while in a second thread, operations (20-24) independently process the amplitude modulation of the ECG data caused by the respiratory motion of the subject. The inductance plethysmogram device (3) provides an input to the processor which represents respiration as directly monitored independently of the ECG. Operations (30-34) process this direct respiration data independently and in parallel, in a third thread. All extracted features are fed to a classifier which in step (10) combines selected combinations of features to make decisions in real time.

Abstract: This invention relates to heat-expanded synthetic cheese products, heat-expandable precursors for forming same, the preparation of the precursor and the cheese products, and the use of a sugar alcohol for improving the organoleptic properties and/or the volume expansion % of the heat-expandable precursors and/or heat-expanded synthetic cheese products. The invention provides a heat-expanded synthetic cheese product, comprising:—from about 20% to about 59% by weight of a milk protein or a source thereof; from about 10% to about 50% by weight of a starch; from about 2% to about 24% by weight of a sugar alcohol; from about 3% to about 15% by weight of water; wherein the heat-expanded synthetic cheese product comprises no more than 10% by weight of fat, the percentages being percentages by weight of the total product, and wherein the heat-expanded synthetic cheese product is a microwave-expanded synthetic cheese product or a radiofrequency (RP)-expanded synthetic cheese product.

Abstract: A method for predicting the athletic performance potential of a subject comprising the step of assaying a biological sample from a subject for a genetic variant in linkage disequilibrium with MSTN-66493737 (T/C) SNP. The invention also provides an assay for determining the athletic performance potential of a subject.

Abstract: An apparatus for inhibiting melatonin synthesis in a horse comprises a blinker having an internal surface of which at least a part is diffusing. A source of light is positioned for direction into the horse's eye by the diffusing-surface. The light source and diffusing surface are configured such that the light directed into the horse's eye is blue.

Abstract: A method of assessing biofilm thickness in a membrane supported biofilm reactor (MSBR) of the type comprising a lumen containing a gas phase, a liquid phase, and a gas permeable membrane providing an interface between the gas and liquid phases, the method comprising the steps of charging the lumen with an inert gas, closing the lumen to establish an initial elevated pressure in the lumen, measuring the rate of change of pressure within the lumen, and correlating the rate of change of pressure (dP/dt) with biofilm thickness. The step of correlating dP/dt with biofilm thickness involves correlating dP/dt with the rate of diffusion of the inert gas (dn/dt), correlating dn/dt with an overall mass transfer coefficient (K), correlating K with the mass transfer coefficient of the biofilm (ICB), and correlating k? with the biofilm thickness.

Abstract: A method for producing polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), comprising (i) culturing in a culture medium comprising terephthalic acid and/or a salt thereof and/or an ester thereof one or more bacterial strains which are capable of accumulating PHA from terephthalic acid or a salt or ester thereof and which are selected from Pseudomonas putida strain GO16 having the accession number NCIMB 41538, Pseudomonas putida strain GO19 having the accession number NCIMB 41537, and Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis strain GO23 having the accession number NCIMB 41539; and (ii) recovering the PHA produced from the culture medium. The invention also provides Pseudomonas putida strain GO16 having the accession number NCIMB 41538; Pseudomonas putida strain GO19 having the accession number NCIMB 41537; and Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis strain GO23 having the accession number NCIMB 41539.