Abstract:
A method of reducing nucleotide mis-pairing in hybridisation between a probe oligonucleotide and a target DNA, the method comprising providing at least one oligonucleotide probe of about 7 to about 25 nucleotides, providing a sampl comprising target DNA, wherein the DNA is prepared so as to comprise fragments of up to about 100 bases, incubating the DNA with the at least one oligonucleotide probe under conditions suitable to enable hybridisation between probe and target DNA, removing unbound DNA, and detecting DNA hybridised to the at least one oligonucleotide probe, wherein either or both of the DNA and the at least one oligonucleotide probe comprises one or more modified nucleotides, and wherein the DNA of the sample is optionally labelled with a detectable moiety. The probe oligonucleotide may be located on a solid support such as a microarray. The sample DNA may be analysed for CpG methylation through treating it with bisulfite.
Abstract:
A method of shaping a packet traffic flow with time constraints is disclosed. These arrangements, instead of choosing the packet rate and inferring the resultant delay, directly constrain the delay for packets to be transmitted. The method comprises ordering (503) the packets on an Earliest Deadline First basis, determining (504) a deadline curve described by a set of ordered deadlines dependent upon the respective packet deadlines of the ordered packets, the deadline curve describing, at a particular time, the cumulative number of packets having deadlines less than or equal to the particular time; and determining (506) an exit curve denoting when each packet is to be transmitted, the exit curve being the shortest feasible path between the first said ordered deadline and the last said ordered deadline.
Abstract:
Wheat having a reduced level of SBEIIa activity, that may have a relative high amylose content. Wheat having a mutant SBEIIa gene in the A genome. The wheat might additionally have reduced levels of SBEIIb activity. The wheat grain of this invention can be of a non-shrunken phenotype despite a lesion in the amylopectin synthesis pathway, and may also have a high relative amylose content.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a process for coating a material surface, comprising the steps of: (a) applying to the material surface a tie layer comprising a polyionic material; (b) covalently binding a bifunctional compound comprising an ethylenically unsaturated double bond to the tie layer; and (c) graft polymerizing a hydrophilic monomer onto the compound comprising the ethylenically unsaturated double bond. The coated articles that are obtainable by the process of the invention have desirable characteristics regarding adherence to the substrate, durability, hydrophilicity, wettability, biocompatibility and permeability and are thus useful for the manufacture of biomedical articles such as ophthalmic devices.
Abstract:
Thermally regenerable ion exchange resins, which are oxidation resistant, comprising polyetheramines derived from a poly ( alpha -haloepoxyethane) which has been crosslinked and aminated.
Abstract:
Alloys which respond to heat treatment are surface hardened by establishing an electric arc between a non-consumable electrode and the metal surface and causing relative movement between the arc and metal surface to occur so that the surface temperature is raised to the austenitic range but below the melting point. Removal of the arc causes the surface to cool rapidly and brings about transformation hardening. The procedure may be applied to steels, cast irons and certain non-ferrous metal alloys which are susceptible to transformation hardening. Practical applications include the surface hardening of railway track, railway wheels and crankshafts as well as the cylinder walls and valve seats of internal combustion engines.
Abstract:
A device for promoting endothelial cell motility and / or vascularisation in man and other vertebrate animals which comprises a carrier such as a sheet or tube of a plastic material, which carrier is impregnated or coated with a source of copper I, copper II or tin II ions such that when applied to or inserted into an animal the ions can diffuse into the surrounding tissue of the animal. The device can be used to promote vascularisation after surgery or on parts of the body lacking adequate vascularisation such as skin ulcers. It can be used in the form of a tube for arterial by-pass surgery wherein the increased motility of the endothelial cells causes faster carbonisation of the interior of the tube and thereby lessens the risk of blood clots forming during such surgical procedures.
Abstract:
An apparatus for producing metal organic frameworks, comprising: a tubular flow reactor comprising a tubular body into which, in use, precursor compounds which form the metal organic framework are fed and flow, said tubular body including at least one annular loop.
Abstract:
Apparatus for measuring deformation of an elongate body defining an axis, the apparatus including: an optical fibre arranged relative to the body, the optical fibre including a first strain sensitive optical fibre portion coupled to the body and at least partially aligned at a first angle relative to the axis, and a second strain sensitive optical fibre portion coupled to the body and at least partially aligned at a second angle relative to the axis, the second angle being opposite to the first angle; a radiation source connected to an end of the optical fibre, the radiation source being for supplying electromagnetic radiation to the optical fibre; a sensor connected to an end of the optical fibre, the sensor being for sensing electromagnetic radiation received from the first and second optical fibre portions; and a processing device for determining the deformation of the body using the sensed electromagnetic radiation, the deformation including any axial or torsional deformation.
Abstract:
The invention provides a lithium-sulfur electric current producing cell comprising an anode; electrolyte; and cathode, where the cathode comprises a polymer-sulfur composite comprising: 5 to 80 wt% sulfur; 0 to 90 wt% conductive polymer; 0 to 50 wt% of one or more conductive agents, other than the conductive polymer; and 0.5 to 20 wt% a first dopant comprising a negatively charged organic polymer; wherein the conductive polymer is doped with the first dopant.