Abstract: A radio receiver is suitable for use in an OFDM wireless communications system, in which it is necessary to identify a timing point at a start of a frame. In order to ensure optimum performance of the receiver in multipath environments, it should be synchronised with the first received multipath component, although one or more of the delayed multipath components may be stronger than the first component. A method of determining the time position of the first received multipath component, determines a correlator function from the received signal, and determines the required timing point from a falling edge in a derivative of the correlator function.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing spreading of a pulse in a transmission line, said spreading being as a result of polarization mode dispersion, comprising inducing predetermined polarization rotations of particle or wave components of the pulse in the transmission line.

Abstract: Subchannel feedback is provided from a plurality of mobile devices to a base station in a communication system, in which a channel is divided into available subchannels. The base station first requests channel information from the mobile devices, and then receives the channel information, for example in the form of an average Effective Signal to Noise Ratio for the channel. Based on the received channel information, the base station selects a subset of the mobile devices, i.e. the best mobile devices. The base station then requests subchannel information relating to a subset of the available subchannels, from the selected subset of the mobile devices, and receives the subchannel information in the form of information identifying said subset of the available subchannels, without indicting a quality of said subset of the available subchannels.

Abstract: A scanning near-field optical microscope detects the evanescent field formed about an illuminated sample 14 via an interaction between the field and a local probe 20.The probe 20 is scanned across the sample surface in order to collect a complete image as a succession of scan lines. In the microscope of this invention, image collection is more rapidly performed by translating the probe 20 whilst it is oscillated at or near its resonance frequency. In this way a series of scan lines covering an area of the sample surface are rapidly collected, the length of each scan line being determined by oscillation amplitude.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope detects or induces changes in a probe-sample interaction. In imaging mode, the probe 54 is brought into a contact distance of the sample 12 and the strength of the interaction measured as the probe 54 and sample surface are scanned relative to each other. Image collection is rapidly performed by carrying out a relative translation of the sample 12 and probe 54 whilst one or other is oscillated at or near its resonant frequency. In a preferred embodiment the interaction is monitored by means of capacitance developed at an interface between a metallic probe and the sample. In lithographic mode, an atomic force microscope is adapted to write information to a sample surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ligand isolated from Moraxella catarrhalis outer membrane protein which binds to CEACAM receptors, said ligand comprising a receptor binding domain comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group disclosed, or a fragment, homologue, functional equivalent, derivative, degenerate or hydroxylation, sulphonation or glycosylation product or other secondary processing product thereof. The invention also provides medicaments and vaccines comprising said ligand, and their use in the treatment or prophylaxis of infection. Also provided is a screening method for the identification of novel therapeutic compounds.

Abstract: A tunable lasing device (100) comprising a ring-shaped laser cavity (102), an optical gain element (104), a bi-directional output coupler (106) and a frequency selection means (114). The frequency selection means is generally a grating with a refractive index that determines a grating reflection frequency. Single mode laser operation is achieved where a cavity mode frequency of the ring-shaped laser cavity coincides with a grating reflection frequency. The refractive index of the grating can be modified by the injection of a variable current. In this way, the lasing frequency can be rapidly tuned between cavity mode frequencies.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe is provided in which an elongate array of transducers is disposed within an elongate coupling element which is mounted for rotation about an axle. The profile of the coupling element is chosen so as to provide a substantially uniform contact force with a surface over a predetermined area. To achieve this the radius of the coupling element varies along its length.

Abstract: In a communication network in which terminals (11) are mobile in the network, the mobility must be managed, and in particular the location of the mobile terminal needs to be determined. Networks each have an associated name server (13) and the name server (13) stores a care-of-address for the terminal (11), as well as a permanent address. As the terminal moves from one subnet of the network to another the care-of-address is changed to reflect the current subnet. Therefore, the input of the name of the mobile terminal (11) identifies via the care-of-address the subnet in which the terminal is currently located. The network is divided with domains each with its own name server (13, 14) as the terminal (11) moves from its home domain to a foreign domain, the name server (14) of that foreign domain may be updated with details of the mobile terminal (11) so that any query to the terminal (11) originating in the foreign domain may be resolved within that foreign domain.

Abstract: Fluorescein and derivatives have use in the treatment of a disease of a living animal body, including human, which disease is responsive to the inhibition of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride channels, for instance polycystic kidney disease and secretory diarrhoea.

Abstract: This invention relates to the treatment of cancer and is particularly, though not exclusively concerned with the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In particular the invention related to the use of TrkAIg2 in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of cancer in a patient.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a domain of Trk as a therapeutic agent and for screening purposes and rational design of NGF mimetics.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a domain of Trk as a therapeutic agent and for screening purposes and rational design of NGF nimetics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the specific production of poly-unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and a process for the production of triglycerides having an increased content of unsaturated fatty acids, in particular omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids having at least two double bonds and a 20 or 22 carbon atom chain length. The invention relates to the production of a transgenic organism, preferably a transgenic plant or a transgenic microorganism, hav-ing an increased content of fatty acids, oils or lipids containing C20- or C22-fatty acids with a delta-5, 7, 8, 10 double bond, respectively due to the expression of a delta-8-desaturase and a delta-9-elon-gase from organisms such as plants preferably Algae like Isochrysis galbana or Euglena gracilis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in an organism by introducing, into the organism, nucleic acids which code for polypeptides with acyl transferase activity. These nucleic acid sequences, if appropriate together with further nucleic acid sequences which code for polypeptides of the fatty acid or lipid metabolism biosynthesis, can advantageously be expressed in the organism. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for the production of oils and/or triacylglycerides with an elevated content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. The invention furthermore relates to the nucleic acid sequences, nucleic acid constructs, vectors and organisms comprising the nucleic acid sequences according to the invention, vectors comprising the nucleic acid sequences and/or the nucleic acid constructs and to transgenic organisms comprising the abovementioned nucleic acid sequences, nucleic acid constructs and/or vectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of determining the thickness of a lubricant film disposed between two bodies by measuring and performing a frequency spectrum analysis on a reflected or transmitted part of an ultrasound wave propagated towards said film is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for assessing a persons ability to perform tasks requiring hand and eye co-ordination. A gaze tracker 6 images a person's eye in order to determine their direction of look. In the context of a vehicle system, a steering wheel direction sensor 12 is provided to determine the direction of the steering wheel. Data from the steering wheel sensor and the gaze tracker is compared by a data processor 14 which looks for correlations between the data sets and uses this correlation to determine whether the person 2 is fit to drive or not.

Abstract: An OFDM receiver includes an adaptive equalizer, which acts on a received signal, after conversion to digital samples. After filtering by the equalizer, any guard interval is removed, and a Fast Fourier Transform is applied to the signal. The data signal is then estimated and the estimated data is supplied as an output. The estimated data also has any guard interval reinserted, and is applied to an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform, and is fed back to the equalizer to allow adaptation of the tap coefficients thereof.

Abstract: A method for determination of the extensional rheological properties of a liquid comprises application to a sample of liquid in a closed system of a pulsed oscillatory alternating flow in a geometry creating an extension flow surrounding a stagnation point and measuring the pressure drop in the liquid across the stagnation point. The alternating displacement may be applied from the ends of each limb in a given direction simultaneously, thereby providing symmetrical flow. The method may be carried out on very small sample volumes of dilute polymer solutions.

Abstract: Disclosed are compounds of formula (I) wherein: L is (a) optionally substituted by replacement of one or more of the hydrogen atoms on the phenanthrene ring system by one or more groups other than hydrogen; A is CH2, SO2 or C?O; X is CO2H, PO3H2, PO2H2, PO2HR5, PO2HOR5, SO3H, SO2H, or tetrazole; and R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are independently selected from H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl and aralkyl; or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid salt or base addition salt or an in vivo hydrolysable ester or amide thereof.