Abstract: A device for communicating electric signals across the skin layer (1) of a patient, wherein the device includes: an electrically conductive core (2) capable of forming an EMF flux loop; first (3) and second (4) coils, which are in EMF communication with said electrical conductive core (2) and wherein the first coil (3) is positioned externally to the patient and surrounds at least a first portion of the electrically conductive core (2); and the second coil (4) is implanted beneath or in the skin layer and surrounds at least a second portion of the electrically conductive core.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering an organic-inorganic element-doped metal oxide from a hydrolysable metal compound, accompanied with contaminated water treatment. The present invention comprises steps of: a) adding a hydrolysable metal compound as a coagulant to a contaminated water to form a separable floc between the hydrolysable metal compound and contaminants present in contaminated water; b) separating the separable floc and the pre-treated water after flocculation treatment; and c) calcinating the separated floc over 500° C. to produce an organic-inorganic element-doped metal oxide. More preferably, the present invention further comprises subjecting the pre-treated water of the step b) to a microwave treatment to cause a photocatalytic degradation of an organic contaminant that remains in the pre-treated water, with the assistance of the remaining hydrolysable metal compound.

Abstract: A pump assembly 1, 33, 200 adapted for continuous flow pumping of blood. In a particular form the pump 1, 200 is a centrifugal pump wherein the impeller 100, 204 is entirely sealed within the pump housing 2, 201 and is exclusively hydrodynamically suspended therein as the impeller rotates within the fluid 105 urged by electromagnetic means external to the pump cavity 106, 203. Hydrodynamic suspension is assisted by the impeller 100, 204 having deformities therein such as blades 8 with surfaces tapered from the leading edges 102, 223 to the trailing edges 103, 224 of bottom and top edges 221, 222 thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining or identifying compounds that modulate the function of an isolated retinal pericyte or blood vessel, wherein a change in the contractile state of said pericyte or blood vessel is determined in the presence of a test compound, said change indicating that the test compound modulates the function of pericytes and/or blood vessels.

Abstract: A pump assembly 1, 33, 200 adapted for continuous flow pumping of blood. In a particular form the pump 1, 200 is a centrifugal pump wherein the impeller 100, 204 is entirely sealed within the pump housing 2, 201 and is exclusively hydrodynamically suspended therein as the impeller rotates within the fluid 105 urged by electromagnetic means external to the pump cavity 106, 203. Hydrodynamic suspension is assisted by the impeller 100, 204 having deformities therein such as blades 8 with surfaces tapered from the leading edges 102, 223 to the trailing edges 103, 224 of bottom and top edges 221, 222 thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling material which comprises particles that are arranged for generation of surface plasmon resonances. The surface plasmon resonances have a wavelength or wavelength range within an atmospheric window wavelength range in which the atmosphere of the earth has a greatly reduced average absorption and emission compared with the average absorption and emission in an adjacent wavelength range, whereby the cooling material is arranged for emission of thermal radiation associated with the generated surface plasmon resonances and absorption of radiation from the atmosphere is greatly reduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a 250 kDa polypeptide from Sporozoites/Merozoites of Eimeria maxima, or encoding a homolog of the polypeptide, or a complement of the nucleic acid and a method of producing a recombinant 250 kDa polypeptide of the same. The present invention also provides an isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an immunodominant portion of a 250 kDa polypeptide from Sporozoites/Merozoites of Eimeria maxima having the amino acid sequence described herein, or encoding a homolog of the polypeptide, or a complement of the nucleic acid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel Neospora caninum isolate from Nowra and extracts thereof. The strain is useful in the development of diagnostic assays for the detection of parasites in animals. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions, using live or killed organisms or extracts thereof, for the treatment and prevention of parasitic infections in animals.

Abstract: The invention relates to a light emitting device consisting of one or more light sources coupled to a light guide containing diffuser particles having a refractive index close to the refractive index of the core of the light guide. The diffuser particles cause a scattering of the light emitted from the light sources so that light emitted from the light emitting device has colour variation imperceptible to the human eye and small and gradual variations in intensity.

Abstract: This invention relates to rotary pumps adapted, but not exclusively, for use as artificial hearts or ventricular assist devices and, in particular, discloses in preferred forms a seal-less shaft-less pump featuring open or closed (shrouded) impeller blades with the edges of the blades used as hydrodynamic thrust bearings and with electromagnetic torque provided by the interaction between magnets embedded in the blades and a rotating current pattern generated in coils fixed relative to the pump housing.

Abstract: A pump assembly 1, 33, 200 adapted for continuous flow pumping of blood. In a particular form the pump 1, 200 is a centrifugal pump wherein the impeller 100, 204 is entirely sealed within the pump housing 2, 201 and is exclusively hydrodynamically suspended therein as the impeller rotates within the fluid 105 urged by electromagnetic means external to the pump cavity 106, 203. Hydrodynamic suspension is assisted by the impeller 100, 204 having deformities therein such as blades 8 with surfaces tapered from the leading edges 102, 223 to the trailing edges 103, 224 of bottom and top edges 221, 222 thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides from N. caninum which are capable of raising an immune response when administered to an animal. Such polypeptides can be used in vaccination strategies for protecting animals, such as cows and dogs, from neosporosis.

Abstract: This invention relates to rotary pumps adapted, but not exclusively, for use as artificial hearts or ventricular assist devices and, in particular, discloses in preferred forms a seal-less shaft-less pump featuring open or closed (shrouded) impeller blades with the edges of the blades used as hydrodynamic thrust bearings and with electromagnetic torque provided by the interaction between magnets embedded in the blades and a rotating current pattern generated in coils fixed relative to the pump housing.

Abstract: An optical conduit (53) for transmitting and releasing luminescent radiation (61, 62, 63) emitted from a luminescent concentrator (51), the luminescent concentrator (51) and optical conduit (52) comprising an optical system which is adapted to release to an area to be illuminated the luminescent radiation which is otherwise trapped in the optical system by total internal reflection. The optical conduit (53) includes a luminaire (57), such as a plurality of scattering regions for scattering trapped light so that the scattered light acquires the angle of incidence required to released from the conduit (53). The scattering regions may be provided by shape irregularities on the surface of the conduit (53) or inhomogeneities within the conduit (53). The conduit (53) may consist of flexible overlaid light guides (65a, 65b and 65c) and a luminaire fitting (55) optically coupled thereto.

Abstract: A high speed, brushless, DC motor has a rotor comprising a solid rare earth magnet core magnetized diametrically. The rotor includes a sleeve surrounding the magnet core to radially constrain the core during high speed rotation thereof. The sleeve extends axially in both directions from the core to form a hollow shaft for the rotor. The sleeve is formed of non-magnetic, low electrical conductivity material. Control circuitry is provided including an electronic inverter of a predetermined rating, the control circuitry including means to maintain substantially constant power through the range of motor speeds from a base speed to a maximum speed while maintaining a power factor close to 1.

Abstract: The invention concerns an EEG based activation system that may be used to turn an appliance ON or OFF. EEG signals have been used for control purposes using biofeedback methods. However, the drawbacks of this are the learning time required by a subject which may take days or months. The present invention provides a simplified EEG based system for activation of an appliance. The system has an input port to receive electrical signals from scalp electrodes (2, 3), an amplifier (5) to amplify the signals, a bandpass filter (6) to filter the signals and a signal averager (8) to smooth out the signals. Furthermore, the signal averager integrates any received signal in the passband of the filter and provides a ramping output, and the integrating time constant being between one and five seconds.

Abstract: A lighting system for an interior of a building includes a device for collecting and converting sunlight into concentrated light consisting of a stack of fluorescent sheets. The collecting device is optically coupled, preferably by way of an optical joint to a channelling member such as an optical cable, so that the concentrated light passes to the channelling member and is channelled to a light emitting fitting for the interior of the building. The channelling members are formed such that their cross-sectional shape changes from the cross-section of the collecting device to the cross-section of the channelling members with an approximately constant cross-sectional area being maintained throughout the change of cross-sectional shape, whereby the coupling device is an optical joint created by a medium having a refractive index close to that of the collecting device and channelling members.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method using ultrasonic signals to determine the distance between the displacement of two points in space. An ultrasonic distance measurement unit (1) generates frequency modulated ultrasonic waves using binary shift keying. The signals are transmitted by the transmitting transducer (2) towards a reflector assembly (30), preferably comprised of two reflectors (31, 32). One of the reflectors (31) is smaller than the other reflector (32), and the smaller reflector (31) is positioned in front of the larger reflector (32). The reflected signals are received by the receiving transducer (3). The unit (1) phase digitizes and processes the received signal by recording time stamps of zero-crossings of the received signal. The speed of sound may be determined by a temperature measurement system (5) and/or by measuring the transit time difference between the two reflectors (31, 32) of the assembly (30).

Abstract: A frequency comb multiple access (FCMA) communications system in which address and message data are transmitted on a common channel to different users. The data transmitted are in the form of signatures, each of which consists of combined specific frequencies selected from a range of discrete frequencies available in the bandwidth of the common channel. Each signature corresponds to an address and to a data message directed to the address. This system does not require handshaking nor channel assignment. A transmitter and a receiver for the system are also disclosed.