Abstract:
A bone sizing guide for assessing the size of an end of a bone includes a body (6) having a foot component (2) with a first surface (10) to rest against an end surface of the bone and a foot (12) extending transverse to the first surface to contact a side surface of the bone. A superstructure (40) is coupled to the body so that the superstructure can slide relative to the body towards and away from the body, at least one of the superstructure and the body being adjustable so that the rotational direction in which the superstructure extends relative to the foot component about a first axis extending transverse to the first surface is adjustable. A stylus (53) extends from the superstructure transverse to the first surface of the body, the stylus having a tip to contact a surface of the bone, and a scale (64) is coupled to or formed on a first one of the superstructure and the body. An indicator (52) is coupled to or formed on a second one of the superstructure and the body to identify a position on the scale. The identified position on the scale shifts as the superstructure slides towards or away from the body, and the identified position shifts as the superstructure rotates relative to the body without sliding motion between the superstructure and the body, such that the identified position on the scale is indicative of the distance between the stylus and the foot.
Abstract:
A surgical instrument comprising a first component (2) having a first face (76) and a second component (4) coupled to the first component (2) such that the first and second components (2, 4) can rotate relative to one another. The instrument further comprises a locking mechanism comprising a third component (32) having a second face (74) coupled to the second component (4). Movement of the third component (32) relative to the second component (4) is arranged to bring the second face (74) into or out of engagement with the first face (76) so as to selectively restrict or allow rotation between the first and second components (2, 4). One of said faces (7, 76) comprises a first array (78) of two or more grooves or teeth spaced apart at a first angular pitch about the centre of rotation between the first and second components (2, 4) and at least one further groove (82) or further tooth which does not correspond to the first angular pitch. The other of said faces (74, 76) comprises a first tooth (84) or a first groove arranged to engage one of the first array (78) of grooves or teeth so as to selectively restrict rotation to two or more predetermined rotational positions within a first range of rotational positions between the first and second components (2, 4). Said other of said faces (74, 76) being arranged to engage the at least one further groove (82) or further tooth so as to selectively restrict rotation between the first and second components (2, 4) at a further predetermined rotational position.
Abstract:
A femoral sizing guide comprises a body (6), a superstructure (40) and a stylus (53). The body (6) is arranged to rest against a resected femoral surface and has first and second feet (12) arranged to extend underneath respective posterior condyles and rest against posterior condylar surfaces of the femur. The superstructure (40) is coupled to the body (6) and is arranged to slide parallel to the resected femoral surface towards and away from the feet (12). The stylus (53) is coupled to the superstructure (40) and arranged such that when the body (6) rests against the resected femoral surface a tip (60) of the stylus (53) extends over the femur such that sliding the superstructure (40) towards the feet (12) causes the stylus tip (60) to contact the anterior cortex of the femur. The superstructure (40) further comprises a first guide hole (52) defining a first alignment axis extending into the resected femoral surface at a predetermined distance from the level of the stylus tip (60) in the plane of the resected femoral surface. The body (6) defines a second guide hole (22) defining a second alignment axis extending into the resected femoral surface at a predetermined distance from the feet (12), the distance between the first and second guide holes (52, 22) varying as the superstructure (40) slides relative to the body (6).
Abstract:
The current invention relates to a method of fabricating a multimeric capture agent for binding a ligand, the capture agent comprising at least first and second monomers units, the first monomer unit further comprising a first ligand-binding moiety, a first reactive group and an attachment moiety, the second monomer unit further comprising a second ligand-binding moiety, and a second reactive group, wherein the reactive groups may be the same or different for each monomer unit, the method comprising the steps of; a) reacting the first monomer unit with the second monomer unit such that reactive groups present on the monomer units react to form a multimeric capture agent. b) immobilising the first monomer unit on a substrate via the attachment moiety, wherein, step a) can be performed before, simultaneously with, or subsequently to step b).
Abstract:
The current invention relates to a method of functionalising a substrate comprising immobilising at least one multimeric peptide on the substrate, wherein, the at least one multimeric peptide comprises at least first and second peptide chains, the first peptide chain comprising at least one hydrophobic amino acid residue and at least one functionalising moiety, wherein the at least one hydrophobic amino acid residue and at least one functionalising moiety are positioned in the peptide primary structure so as to result in a hydrophobic face, and a substantially non hydrophobic face comprising the functionalising moiety, and wherein, contacting the peptide with the substrate causes the peptide to be immobilised thereon.
Abstract:
A method of sequencing a target nucleic acid using primer extension mass spectroscopy to generate an observed mass spectrum, on which base calling cycles are carried out using calibrated inter-peak mass difference values such that: each called base allows mass calculation for the base-called peak in the observed mass spectrum; this calculated mass is then used as a further calibration point for subsequent rounds of base calling. A reaction mixture of all four base-specific chain extension nucleotides and four chain termination nucleotide analogues. A method of performing mass spectroscopy, which method comprises subjecting molecular ions which have been chemically charged in a predetermined manner to time-of-flight or Fourier transform mass spectroscopy.
Abstract:
An optical fibre has a coating of, for example, liquid crystal polymer which causes temperature-dependent stress-induced changes in the optical fibre such as to counteract temperature-induced changes in the transmission delay of the fibre.
Abstract:
A method is described for use in whole genome analysis. The method - termed inter-population perfectly matched duplex depletion - can overcome many of the limitations of current approaches based upon SNPs and linkage disequilibrium within isolated populations. Inter-population perfectly matched duplex depletion isolates a fragment (or fragments) containing differences between the "affected" and "unaffected" populations or cells. A convenient method - terminal restriction site profiling arrays (TRSPAs) - is described for the analysis of such fragments. A totally diagnostic internal control DNA is also described which allows both the extent and exact nature of any partial digestion to be unambiguously determined for inter-population perfectly matched duplex depletion or TRSPA restriction.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method for primer walking sequencing of nucleic acid wherein a presynthesised set of walking primers is used, the said primers having a raised annealing temperature and/or improved annealing properties without increasing sequence complexity.
Abstract:
An optical fibre communications system includes an exchange (E) and a plurality of subscriber lines (1). The exchange (E) provides a plurality of services in different subcarrier frequencies (6, 8, 9, 10). Each subscriber line (1) is provided with terminal apparatus (5) operable at different subcarrier frequencies, and a control (11) at the exchange (E) tunes the terminal apparatus to transmit and/or receive on a particular frequency in response to a request. The request may be a signal from the terminal apparatus (5), or an incoming service request addressed to the particular terminal apparatus.