technology was developed by David Flint of the Hannah Research Institute at Ayr in Scotland, and has been patented and licensed to ObeSys, a company set up to develop it. Because the body's own defences are used, it is hoped there will be no unexpected side effects, though the treatment will take some time to be released commercially because of the long term study needed. It will probably not be available for five years. In rats, polyclonal antibodies were used, and were injected. In humans, monoclonal antibodies will be required, and may have to be infused intravenously. ObeSys is working with Cambridge Antibody Technology and has already identified a number of suitable antibodies. It is now searching for a pharmaceutical partner to help it develop a method of delivery. Although the technique will not alter a poor energy balance between what is taken in, and what is expended, the effect should be permanent, because the fat cells are actually destroyed rather than simply reduced in size as in normal weight loss, where cells can obviously increase in size again afterwards. n

Patents Pending.

HERE ARE several new patents recently submitted which could lead to some interesting, useful, and downright trivial technologies. Firstly, Brian Berry of Bradford has designed a teddy bear with an integrated smoke detector and alarm. Air vents in the mouth and nostrils of the teddy allow detection wherever the child, and hence, the teddy are.

Secondly, Duncan Grant of the University of Bristol has developed a digital amplifier for portable radios. The tuner normally only requires 1.5 volts to function. The amplifier requires 3 volts, so the tuner gets that too, which is wasteful. The new amplifier skims off half the digital pulses created by the amplifier and thus reduces the consumption of the tuner to the required 1.5 volts. All this means that batteries will last longer -  much longer. They normally go flat in about 200 hours in a conventional radio. In this new model, they could well last as long as 7,400 hours! Two years worth of listening.

The third item, invented by Alexandra Ohene of north London, is perhaps a little absurd. Noting that it is often difficult for other drivers to see a 'thank you' signal, and that flashing headlights is distracting, and technically illegal, she has invented the 'autoflash'. A small screen controlled by a switch on the steering column displays a message in the rear window, such as 'thank you'. However, one would suspect this device could be somewhat more uncourteous in the hands of some drivers! n

Egg-citing News for Eggaholics.

ALMONELLA IS no more. At least in eggs. The world's first pasteurised eggs will go on sale in the US this autumn, thanks to a machine called 'Big Pete'. The machine is able to kill salmonella enteritidis bacteria inside the egg without solidifying the white or the yolk. "Pasteurised milk is universally accepted as safe", says John Davidson, the founder of Pasteurised Eggs, the company which developed 'Big Pete' and the pasteurisation process. "We want people to feel exactly the same about our eggs", he says. "People will be able to go back to eating eggs with runny yolks, as well as dishes made with raw eggs, such as Caesar's salad dressing, and home made mayonnaise."

Using technology originally developed by James Cox, and inventor friend and colleague who died last year, Davidson had to find a way of applying enough heat to kill the bacteria present whilst keeping it cool enough to prevent the egg from solidifying. The ideal solution, he found, is to gently heat treat a bath of eggs in water over periods of about an hour. The eggs are dunked successively in baths of sterilised water to between 62oC and 72oC, having been weighed to determine the right length of time. The first bath is the hottest, allowing the heat to penetrate the white. Cooler following baths reach the yolk and treat that. In the last stage the heat is raised again, which for some unknown reason does not dam