Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of extracorporeal liver perfusion and, more particularly, to the design of a chamber in which a biological component can be housed to form e.g. a bio-artificial liver (BAL). It also relates to a bio-artificial liver per se, it's components and methodological steps associated with its development and use. The chamber (10) for the biological component (100) of a bio-artificial liver (200) is configured to allow: • Proliferation of the biological component, in situ; • Cryopreservation of the biological component, in situ, and • Perfusion of the biological component, in situ.

Abstract: A compound of formula (I) wherein Ar can be one six-membered or two fused six-membered aromatic rings; R8 and R9 can be hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, halogen, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, nitro, cyano, alkyoxy, aryloxy, thiol, alkylthiol, arythiol, or aryl; Q can be O, S or CY2, where Y may be H, alkyl or halogen; X can be O, NH, S, N-alkyl, (CHR2)m where m is 1 to 10, and CY2; Z can be O, S, NH, or N-alkyl; U? is H and U? can be H or CH2; wherein: T can be OH, H, halogen, O-alkyl, O-acyl, O-aryl, CN, NH2 or N3; T? and T? can be H or halogen; and W can be H or a phosphate group. Compounds show anti-viral activity, for example with respect to varicella zoster virus.

Abstract: A catalyst effective for the direct reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form hydrogen peroxide includes particles of gold, palladium or, preferably, gold and palladium deposited upon an acid-washed support. High selectivity to and production of hydrogen peroxide is observed, with low hydrogen peroxide decomposition. The catalysts have extended lifespan.

Abstract: A non-therapeutic method of reducing weight gain, serum cholesterol levels, or liver triglyceride levels, in a non-obese mammal, comprises the step of administering to the gut of a mammal an effective amount of a bacteria expressing a BSH1 enzyme of SEQUENCE ID NO: 1, or a functional variant thereof; a BSH1 enzyme of SEQUENCE ID NO: 1, or a functional variant thereof for use as a medicament; isolated bacterial strains expressing functional variants of BSH1.

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 computer-implemented method, computer program product, and computing system is provided for quality of experience for media transmissions. In an implementation, a method may include defining a lower media stream discontinuity threshold. The method may also include evaluating a media stream discontinuity rate associated with a portion of a media stream. When the media stream discontinuity rate associated with the portion of the media stream is greater than the lower media stream discontinuity threshold, the method may further include determining a quality of experience associated with the portion of the media stream based upon, at least in part, a payload associated with the portion of the media stream.

Abstract: Described herein are nitrated lipids and methods of making and using the nitrated lipids.

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 the early prediction of risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnant women, including for example eclampsia, mild pre-eclampsia, chronic hypertension, EPH gestosis, gestational hypertension, superimposed pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, or nephropathy.

Abstract: The invention provides a three dimensional (3D) semi-conductor device comprising a first junctionless transistor doped with dopants of the same polarity; a second junctionless transistor doped with dopants of the same polarity; and the second junctionless transistor and the first junctionless transistor comprise an opposite dopant polarity are stacked in a vertical arrangement, where the first and second junctionless transistors are separated by an insulating layer. The invention makes use of the fact that the transistors are uniformly doped with the same polarity to provide a junctionless transistor. The junctionless concept provides that the junction is already formed, so there is no high temperature step associated with junction formation or junction regrowth. This is an important advantage in the junctionless concept in relation to 3D monolithic integration that allows for vertical stacking of the transistors to form a three dimensional CMOS inverter.

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: Method for identifying a bacterial infection The present application concerns a method for identifying the nature of a bacterial infection from a peritoneal sample, in particular, whether it is a Gram-negative or Gram-positive infection, based upon the determination of one or more cellular and/or humoral markers in a sample.

Abstract: The invention provides a stable oxide material system for a capacitor, electronic device or a memory device having an effective high-k value with an effective zero alpha while exhibiting low leakage current density. The stable oxide material comprises Mx-Si1-xO2, wherein the elements M & Si are mixed such that the insulator layer comprises staggered edge-linked SiO2-MO2 bonding chains to provide a stable 3-dimensional single crystal system.

Abstract: A method and kit are provided for identifying non-healing or healing chronic mammalian wound tissue or for determining the prognosis of chronic mammalian wound tissue based upon the identification of at least one key set of molecular markers or genes whose expression pattern is indicative of a given wound type and so representative of a given prognosis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and kit for identifying chronic or acute mammalian wound tissue or for determining the prognosis of mammalian wound tissue based upon the identification of at least one key set of molecular markers or genes whose expression pattern is indicative of a given wound type and so representative of a given prognosis.

Abstract: A non-therapeutic method of accumulating a polymeric or high molecular weight molecular product within a bacterial microcompartment in bacterial cytoplasm, which method employs a recombinant bacteria which is transformed to express a microcompartment containing an enzyme capable of converting a low molecular weight substrate into a polymeric or high molecular weight product, the method comprising the steps of: incubating the recombinant bacteria with the low-molecular weight substrate, or a precursor of the low molecular weight substrate which is capable of being metabolized to the substrate within the recombinant bacteria, such that the substrate or precursor is taken up by the bacteria, wherein the substrate enters the microcompartment and the enzyme within the microcompartment converts the substrate to a polymeric or high molecular weight molecular product, and wherein the polymeric or high molecular weight molecular product is accumulated within the microcompartment due to its size.

Abstract: In one embodiment the invention relates to a photodetector device sensitive for wavelengths comprising a doped Ge absorbing material bonded to a substrate material locally of opposite doping polarity and an interface layer formed between the Ge absorbing material and the substrate material to form a p-n junction. In one embodiment the bonded material comprises a p-doped Ge wafer and n-doped Si or So I wafer and obtained from a low-temperature heat treatment after bonding. The invention also discloses a process for making a photodetector.

Abstract: The invention concerns a prognostic method for determining at least one, or a combination, of the following: time to first treatment, response to treatment or overall survival for a patient presenting with a disease including or characterised by telomere shortening, comprising an assessment of the longest mean telomere length at which telomere end-end fusion events can be detected and then a determination of the mean telomere length in the fusogenic range (i.e. the range below said mean telomere length at which telomere end-end fusion events can be detected) and the subsequent use of the mean telomere length in the fusogenic range as a prognostic indicator.

Abstract: A semiconductor lasing device (10) for emitting radiation at multiple distinct wavelengths, the device (10) comprising an active layer (16) having first portion (20) and a second portion (21), the first and second portions (20, 21) being separated by a Bragg grating (19) extending through the entire depth of the active layer (16), the first portion (20) defining a first lasing cavity (29) for emitting electromagnetic radiation at a first wavelength ?1 and the first and second portions (20, 21) together defining a second lasing cavity (31) for emitting electromagnetic radiation at a second wavelength ?2.

Abstract: A compound of formula I wherein Ar1 is a bicyclic aryl or heteroaryl, which may be optionally substituted; X and Y are each independently a group of formula II: -L1-Ar2-L2-Ar3-Q-(CH2)n-NR1R2 L1 and L2 are each independently selected from NR3, C2H2, CH2, —O—, —S— and a bond; Ar2 and Ar3 are independently optionally substituted C5 or C6 aryl or heteroaryl; Q is selected from NH(C?O), NR3, S, O; n is an integer from 1 to 5; R1 and R2 are optionally substituted and are independently hydrogen, C1-7 alkyl, C3-20 heterocyclyl, or C5-20 aryl, or R1 and R2, taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a heterocyclic ring having from 3 to 8 ring atoms; R3 is H or C1-7 alkyl.