Abstract: A process for the epoxidation of an alkene, which process comprises reaction of an alkene with an oxidising agent in the presence of a catalyst, characterised in that the catalyst is an amine of formula (I), wherein T represents hydrogen or a moiety of formula (a); R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 each independently represents hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted aryl group, heterocyclyl or an optionally substituted aralkyl group wherein substituents for the above mentioned groups are selected from up to three of alkyl, aryl, heterocycyl, hydroxy, alkoxy or a group NRsRt wherein Rs and Rt each independently represents hydrogen, alkyl or alkylcarbonyl and R7 represents hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl; or T represents a moiety (a) wherein R1 together with R2 represents an optionally substituted alkylene chain comprising 2 to 6 carbon atoms the alkylene chain being optionally interrupted with an oxygen atom or a group NRp wherein Rp is hydrogen or alkyl, and wherein optional substituents f

Abstract: A chiral catalyst comprising a 3,4-disubstituted pyridine, or a salt, N functionalized derivative, dimer or oligomer thereof, wherein the 3-substituent is substantially hindered from rotation about the bond (sp2-sp2 biaryl axis) linking it to pyridine and the 4-substituent is an aliphatic or aromatic amine linked by a single bond to the pyridine, the pyridine nitrogen being functionalized or unfunctionalized, preferably comprising a compound of formula I wherein Z is a group substantially hindered from rotation about its bond; and each of R1 and R2 are independently selected from C1-30 alkyl, C3-30 cyclo alkyl and/or C3-30 aryl, or NR1 R2 form a cyclic amine; wherein R1 and/or R2 may be optionally substituted and/or include one or more heteroatoms; a composition or support comprising the catalyst; process for the preparation and resolution thereof; process for stereoselective reaction of an optically inactive substrate using the catalyst; and the optically active reaction product thereof.

Abstract: There are many lung diseases and conditions for which the preferred form of treatment involves delivering a medicament of the appropriate sort down the Patient's airways into the lungs themselves. The most effective treatments involve the inhalation as an aerosol of some suitable agent in normally inhaled air, and it will often be the case that it is best to deliver the agent as a “spike” or short pulse at some selected point within the Patient's breathing cycle. The present invention proposes treatment apparatus—specifically and in particular small (pocket-sized) hand-held apparatus—that utilises the “spike” principle.

Abstract: A process for the epoxidation of an alkene, which process comprises reaction of an alkene with an oxidising agent in the presence of a catalyst, characterised in that the catalyst is an amine of formula (I), wherein T represents hydrogen or a moiety of formula (a); R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 each independently represents hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl, an optionally substituted aryl group, heterocyclyl or an optionally substituted aralkyl group wherein substituents for the above mentioned groups are selected from up to three of alkyl, aryl, heterocycyl, hydroxy, alkoxy or a group NRsRt wherein R5 and Rt each independently represents hydrogen, alkyl or alkylcarbonyl and R7 represents hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or aralkyl; or T represents a moiety (a) wherein R1 together with R2 represents an optionally substituted alkylene chain comprising 2 to 6 carbon atoms the alkylene chain being optionally interrupted with an oxygen atom or a group NRp wherein Rp is hydrogen or alkyl, and wherein optional substituents f

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an oxirane, aziridine or cyclopropane of formula (I), wherein X is oxygen, NR4 or CHR5; R1 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroaromatic, heterocyclic or cycloalkyl; R2 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroaromatic, CO2R8, CHR14NHR13, heterocyclic or cycloalkyl; or R1 and R2 join together to form a cycloalkyl ring; R3 and R10 are, independently, hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, heteroaromatic, CO2R8, R83Sn, CONR8R9, trialkylsilyl or triarylsilyl; R4 is an electron withdrawing group; R5 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaromatic, SO2R8, SO3R8, COR8, CO2R8, CONR8R9, PO(R8)2, PO(OR8)2 or CN; R8 and R9 are independently alkyl or aryl; and R13 and R14 are independently hydrogen, alkyl or aryl is provided. The process comprises degrading a compound of formula (II), (IIa), (IIb) or (IIc): wherein R3 and R10 are as defined above; Y is a cation; depending on the nature of Y, r is 1 or 2; and L is a suitable leaving group, to form a diazo compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods of and kits for detecting polymorphisms in a nucleic acid encoding a human histamine H2 receptor.

Abstract: A system for separating a liquid and a gas including a separation vessel (30) with an inlet (28) for a gas/liquid mixture. Outlets (40, 42) for the fluids are disposed at different heights in the vessel. The outlets are controlled by turn-up vortex amplifiers (fluidic valves TuVAs) that include a supply port (40, 42), a control port (36, 38) and an outlet port (48, 50). The control port is supplied from the vessel at an intermediate level between the outlets, so that a change of flow in the control port alters resistence to flow through the valve.

Abstract: The present invention provides an immortalized insulin producing human &bgr;-cell which may be rendered glucose responsive by suitable bioengineering methods. The invention also provides a method for producing an immortalized glucose responsive insulin producing human &bgr;-cell comprising the steps of selecting an unregulated immortalized human insulin secreting &bgr;-cell, transecting said selected cell line with elements for the genetic control of glucose responsiveness and proliferating said transfected &bgr;-cell accordingly.

Abstract: Methods of treatment and prophylaxis of various diseases and disorders, and in particular diseases and disorders of lipid and bone metabolism, involving the administration of prenyl transferase (farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase) and/or isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase inhibitor compounds are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of imparting a water repellent surface to a hydrophilic substrate which comprises contacting the substrate with a solution or dispersion of a suitable calixarene in a liquid medium.

Abstract: A heat and/or mass transfer process and apparatus for treating various types of materials. A heat and/or mass transfer process includes causing a gas to impinge upon a flowing material, wherein the gas velocity having a component tangential to the flow direction of the material can be characterized such that a fluctuating velocity is superimposed upon the mean velocity of the material in the flow direction. The process further includes effecting velocity fluctuations by means of a traveling tangential acoustic wave while a steady overall gas flow is maintained, and controlling the gas velocity by means of a vernier valve. By using fluctuating velocity superimposed upon the mean velocity, an effective thermal and mass transfer resistance of the boundary layer can be reduced, as well as reducing the pressure fluctuations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a glove for making goniometric measures, i.e. angular measurements, of a wearer's hand and a method of manufacture of the same. The glove is adapted for use in the assessment of ahnad mobility in medical applications and is particularly useful for misshaped hands. The glove comprises a palmar panel with finger sections extending short of the distal interphalangeal joint and preferably proximal to the distal interphalangeal joint.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying short pulsed waveforms, on the order of 1 &mgr;s pulses at a frequency of about 5 kHz, to a discharge lamp, such as a low-pressure mercury/argon lamp, in order to shift the ratio of the intensities of two of the mercury lines, in particular the 254 nm and 365 nm lines, of which for a sinusoidal excitation signal the 254 nm line is predominant, towards the higher wavelength. This greatly increases the efficiency of a lamp using phosphors excited by these UV emissions, because of the reduced Stokes shift.

Abstract: The invention provides glucosaminidase polypeptides and DNA (RNA) encoding glucosaminidase polypeptides and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing glucosaminidase polypeptides to screen for antibacterial compounds.

Abstract: A rotatable fluidised bed incinerator comprises a rotatable combustion chamber, a means for rotating the combustion chamber, a means for introducing combustible material into the combustion chamber, and a means for introducing a gas into the combustion chamber to create a fluidised bed within the chamber. A flow area of the combustion chamber remains substantially constant or increases with decreasing chamber radius.

Abstract: A process for treating toxic fly ash from an incinerator which comprises heating the fly ash held in suspension in a combustible or combusted gas at least to a temperature at which sintering of the fly ash takes place.

Abstract: A compound of formula (Ia) of (Ib), wherein A and B each independently represents hydrogen or one, two or three naphthylidene substituents, which substituents are selected from C.sub.1-6 alkyl, C.sub.1-6 alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, silyl and silyloxy; R.sup.1 represents phenyl, C.sub.1-6 alkyl, phenyl C.sub.1-6 alkyl or a moiety of formula (a): wherein R.sup.2 represents C.sub.1-6 alkyl, phenyl or benzyl, R.sup.3 represents H or OR.sup.4 wherein R.sup.4 is C.sub.1-6 alkyl or C.sub.1-6 alkylsilyl and n is zero or an integer 1 or 2; and X.sup.- is a counter ion; a process for the preparation of such compounds and the use of such compounds for enantioselectively epoxidising a prochiral olefin.

Abstract: The invention relates to allelic variants of human histamine H.sub.2 receptor genes and primer sequences useful in detecting such genes.

Abstract: A shear failure reinforcing system for structural elements, in which thin elongate strips of high stiffness material are anchored around a layer of conventional reinforcement, and/or are anchored around a plurality of layers of conventional reinforcement, such that the strips tie the element and improve its resistance to shear failure.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods of treating or controlling a disease or stress condition such as laminitis in a non-human mammal by topically applying to the limb of the mammal a nitrovasodilator and a protective covering dressing in the form of a cuff, sleeve, or boot.