Abstract: The invention is generally directed to a physiogenomic method for predicting diabetes and metabolic syndromes induced by psychotropic drugs. In one embodiment, the invention relates to the use of genetic variants of marker genes to predict the likelihood that an individual will experience undesirable metabolic side effects as a result of the use of a drug including, but not limited to, psychotropic drugs. The invention also relates to methods predicting the likelihood of diabetes and metabolic syndromes induced by the use of drugs with undesirable metabolic side effects.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for performing intermittent detection during analytical reactions are provided. Such methods facilitate collection of reaction data from disparate reaction times. Further, such methods are useful for reducing photo-induced damage of one or more reactants in an illuminated analytical reaction at a given reaction time. In preferred embodiments, the reaction mixture is subjected to at least one illuminated and non-illuminated period and allowed to proceed such that the time in which the reaction mixture is illuminated is less than a photo-induced damage threshold period.

Abstract: Disclosed are oligonucleotides useful in methods for determining whether a sample contains Cryptococcus neoformans, a causative agent for human cryptococcosis. These oligonucleotides, which have nucleotide sequences derived from a coding segment of the gene encoding the fungal specific transcription factor gene in Cryptococcus neoformans, are useful as forward and reverse primers for a polymerase chain reaction using nucleic acids from a biological sample as templates, and as probes for detecting any resultant amplicon. Detection of an amplicon indicates the sample contains Cryptococcus neoformans. Real-time PCR and detection using florescence resonance energy transfer is disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a quantitative PCR assay that differentiates between IR-A, IR-B and IGF-IR mRNAs and compares expression of the three receptors on the same scale.

Abstract: Primers having abasic regions or mismatches for amplifying sequences suspected of having methylation. Primers having abasic regions or mismatches for amplifying sequences adjacent to suspected or known methylated sequences. Methods of using primers having abasic regions or mismatches for identification of methylated sequences or sequences adjacent to suspected or known methylation sequences.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to compositions and methods useful for the amplification of nucleic acid molecules by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Specifically, the invention provides compositions and methods for the amplification of nucleic acid molecules in a simplified one- or two-step RT-PCR procedure using combinations of reverse transcriptase and thermostable DNA polymerase enzymes in conjunction with sulfur-containing molecules or acetate-containing molecules (or combinations of such sulfur-containing molecules and acetate-containing molecules), and optionally bovine serum albumin. The invention thus facilitates the rapid and efficient amplification of nucleic acid molecules and the detection and quantitation of RNA molecules. The invention also is useful in the rapid production and amplification of cDNAs which may be used for a variety of industrial, medical and forensic purposes.

Abstract: Primer sets for amplifying target regions containing sites to be detected in the UGT1A1 gene by a gene amplification method are provided, wherein the primer sets can amplify the regions specifically. Three pairs of primer sets are used including forward primers consisting of the base sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 4 or 81, 21, and 42 as well as reverse primers consisting of the base sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 13 or 91, 29 and 48, respectively. The use of these primer sets makes it possible to amplify three target regions including parts where three types of polymorphisms (UGT1A1*6, UGT1A1*27, and UGT1A1*28) of the UGT1A1 gene are generated, respectively, in the same reaction solution at the same time.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to genetic sequence variations that can be used to predict whether a person will develop asthma. Disease is likely to occur if certain polymorphic forms the CCL11 gene, the CCL2 gene and the TLR7 gene are present.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, methods and kits for low-level detection of nucleic acids, detecting at least two different viral sequences in a single reaction vessel, and increasing the dynamic range of detection of a viral target nucleic acid in a sample. The present invention also relates to T-structure invasive cleavage assays, as well as T-structure related target dependent non-target amplification methods and compositions. The present invention further relates to methods, compositions, devices and systems for consistent nucleic acid dispensing onto surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assay for determining a health state of a subject using a combination of detecting the presence of a virus and detecting the presence of a genomic target or marker indicative of a health state.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods, reagents and kits for carrying out a variety of assays suitable for analyzing polynucleotides or samples that include an amplification step performed in a multiplex fashion. Also provided are methods for analyzing and improving the efficiency of amplification and for carrying out gene expression analysis.

Abstract: Magnetic particles for nucleic acid isolation are coated with silica and separated from impurities and nanoparticulates using a multi-step fractionation process. In each cycle of the fractionation process, the particles are stirred, sedimented, and resuspended, resulting in a decline in pH of the suspended particles. Repeating the fractionation process until the resuspended particles have dropped to a target pH in the range of about 9 to 10.5, and their zeta potential is more negative than about ?40 mV, results in a purified population of particles with a high and reproducible binding capacity for nucleic acids. The silica-treated magnetic beads produced by the method offer improved sensitivity and consistency for recovery of nucleic acids in a sample.

Abstract: The invention is directed to binary oligonucleotide probes for nucleic analysis, which probes can be made of DNA or RNA that recognize nucleic acid analytes (both DNA and RNA) with unprecedented high selectivity under mild conditions and are highly sensitive to single nucleotide mismatches (SNP single nucleotide polymorphisms) without PCR amplification. In one group, the binary probes indicate that they have hybridized to a particular nucleic analyte by binding to a molecular beacon that gives off a fluorescent signal. A second group of binary probes bind to a dye such as malachite green, where upon hybridization to analyte the fluorescence of the dye increases dramatically and is easily detected and measured. The new binary probes require only about five minutes at room temperature to generate a detectable signal.

Abstract: Methods for amplifying and detecting nucleic acids are described, as well as sets of 5? labeled oligonucleotides.

Abstract: The invention relates to kits and methods for assessing skin health for a human and the human's susceptibility to skin disorders. The methods involve assessing occurrence in the human's genome of one or more polymorphisms (e.g., single nucleotide polymorphisms) that occur in one or more genes associated disclosed herein and that are associated with a disorder in humans. Preferred assessment and scoring methods are disclosed, as are kits for performing the methods.

Abstract: A two-step multiplex amplification reaction includes a first step which truncates the standard initial multiplex amplification round to “boost” the sample copy number by only a 100-1000 fold increase in the target. Following the first step the product is divided into optimized secondary single amplification reactions, each containing one of the primer sets that were used previously in the first or multiplexed booster step. The booster step can occur using an aqueous target nucleic acid or using a solid phase archived nucleic acid. In particular, nucleic acid sequences that uniquely identify E. Coli were identified using the multiplex amplification method.

Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for sorghum CAD alleles and truncated CAD polypeptides. Sorghum plants having such truncations or combinations thereof, methods of genotyping sorghum plants for CAD truncations, and methods for breeding sorghum plants having truncated CAD sequences or combinations thereof are described.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for performing low background multiplex nucleic acid amplification reactions are provided. Aspects of the invention include contacting a nucleic acid sample with two or more primer pairs for two or more target nucleic acids under template dependent primer extension reaction conditions, e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions. The resultant amplified composition is then contacted with target nucleic acid circularizing reagents, and product circularized target nucleic acids are then selected, e.g., for further amplification. Also provided are systems and kits that find use in practicing embodiments of the inventions.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a variety of multiplexing methods used to amplify and/or genotype a variety of samples simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring a real-time quantification of multiple target molecules during their binding on capture molecules of a micro-array. The method comprises the steps of: placing, in a chamber (14), a support (15) having fixed upon its surface a micro-array comprising at least 5 capture molecules (20) being immobilized in specifically localized areas (21) of said support; introducing said labeled target molecules solution (13) into the chamber; incubating said labeled target molecules under stable and controlled temperature conditions to allow the binding between said target and capture molecules; directing an excitation light (2) from a light source (1) on the surface of the micro-array; measuring the electromagnetic light emission (7) from the bound target molecules in response to said excitation light in presence of the solution containing the target molecules wherein the surface of emission for a localized area is comprised between about 0.