Abstract:
This invention relates to polymer particles, a process for their preparation, the use of these particles for the preparation of an electrophoretic device, electrophoretic displays comprising such particle, and new polymerisable dyes.
Abstract:
A hash value computation device for computing a hash value for a message using a hash algorithm that defines a key is provided, the device comprising a message schedule element having an input module which receives the message in 8-bit segments, a plurality of 8-bit memory modules which store the 8-bit segments of the message, an 8-bit message schedule value module which uses the 8-bit message segments and the hash algorithm to provide an 8-bit message schedule value for each 8-bit message segment, and an output module which outputs the 8-bit message schedule values, and a hash value computation element comprising a first input module which receives the 8-bit message schedule values, a second input module which receives 8-bit segments of the key defined by the hash algorithm, a plurality of 8-bit memory modules which store the 8-bit segments of the key, a hash value computation module which uses the 8- bit message schedule values and the 8-bit key segments to compute a hash value for the message, and an output module which outputs the hash value.
Abstract:
Described is an N-terminal hexapeptide fragment of maximakinin, QUB 698.8, which exhibits potent tissue selective actions on smooth muscle. It demonstrates a high degree of selectivity for arterial smooth muscle over small intestinal smooth muscle, causing potent relaxation of arterial smooth muscle, while causing less potent contraction of ileal smooth muscle. It may be used treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system and in promotion of angiogenesis.
Abstract:
A method of coating a metallic article having an at least part-metallic surface comprising a first metal, with a surface having a pre-determined wettability, the method at least comprising the steps of: (a) coating at least a part of the metallic article with a layer of a second metal to provide a metal-metal bonded surface, said surface being rough either prior to or because of step (a); and (b) contacting the metal-metal bonded surface of step (a) with a material to provide the surface having the pre-determined wettability. The first metal may be one or more of the group comprising: iron, zinc, copper, tin, nickel and aluminium, and alloys thereof including steel, brass, bronze and nitinol for example. Preferably, the second metal is coated onto the first metal using electroless Galvanic deposition. The nature of the coated metallic article is non-limiting, as the ability of the present invention is to provide a tailored surface with a pre-determined wettability thereon, including superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic wettability. This allows the invention to be capable of application to a wide range of metal types used in different fields.
Abstract:
A method of trapping hydrogen in a material (1), comprising providing a hydrogen trapping region (3) in the material, bombarding the material with thermal energy hydrogen atoms, and allowing at least some of the hydrogen atoms to interact with the hydrogen trapping region, effecting trapping of at least some of the hydrogen atoms in the hydrogen trapping region of the material. The use of thermal energy hydrogen atoms results in a relatively 'damage free' process, which will not give rise to ionisation and nuclear stopping processes involved in bombardment with energetic hydrogen ions.
Abstract:
An isolated peptide comprises an amino acid sequence having at least partial homology with the sequence of Sequence ID No 1. Also provided is an antibody which binds specifically to an isolated peptide according to any preceding Claim. A method of assaying for sFlt-1 protein comprises the steps of: providing a sample to be treated; treating the sample to cleave any sFlt-1 protein present in the sample to produce sFlt-1 peptide fragments; incubating the treated sample with an antibody of the invention and a labelled competitive ligand; separating the antibody bound from the sample using a secondary antibody which specifically binds the antibody of the invention; assaying the bound antibody for labelled competitive ligand; and determining the amount of sFlt-1 protein in the sample, wherein the labelled competitive ligand comprises an isolated peptide of the invention.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to novel base stable ionic liquids and uses thereof as solvents in chemical reactions, especially base catalysed chemical reactions and reactions comprising the use of strong basis.
Abstract:
Described is a method to predict response of tumour cells to in vivo treatment with a platinum-based chemotherapeutíc agent, the method based on the determination of the expression of one or more of the genes encoding BCRP protein, wherein enhanced expression of said gene correlates with enhanced resistance to the chemotherapeutic agent. Also described are methods of sensitising cancer cells, particularly colorectal cancer cells to treatment.
Abstract:
The invention relates to methods and compositions for treatment of cancer. In one embodiment the method involves the use of a cFLIP inhibitor as the sole active agent. In another embodiment the invention relates to the treatment of p53 mutant cancers using combinations of cFLIP inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of detecting interactions, particularly peptide to peptide interactions, using fluorescence. Nucleic acids encoding fragments of fluorescent protein, a peptide of interest and a linker portion of different lengths interposed between the peptide of interest and a fragment of fluorescent protein is provided together with a peptide-interaction system and methods of using the same.