Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising a body and a set of vibration absorbers mounted on the body, each absorber being movable relative to the body between a first position and a second position, each absorber being capable of oscillating relative to the body between its first and second positions, a first natural frequency being defined for each absorber, at least one absorber having a first natural frequency different from the first natural frequency of another absorber. Each absorber comprises at least one deformation part capable of deforming as the vibration absorber oscillates between its first position and its second position, the deformation part having at least two faces configured to rub against each other during the deformation of the deformation part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device comprising a body and a set of vibration absorbers mounted on the body, each absorber being movable relative to the body between a first position and a second position, each absorber being capable of oscillating relative to the body between its first and second positions, a first natural frequency being defined for each absorber, at least one absorber having a first natural frequency different from the first natural frequency of another absorber. Each absorber comprises at least one deformation part capable of deforming as the vibration absorber oscillates between its first position and its second position, the deformation part having at least two faces configured to rub against each other during the deformation of the deformation part.

Abstract: Methods for determining the binding affinity of a probe to a target or targets in a polynucleotide composite using an automated system. Such methods determine relative binding sites based on thermodynamic principles, using a thermodynamic alphabet and a thermodynamic scoring matrix, with appropriate computer software, such as BLASTP. The invention also provides methods for designing polynucleotide probes to be used in hybridization assays, and minimizing the occurrence of cross-hybridization.

Abstract: Methods for determining the binding affinity of a probe to a target or targets in a polynucleotide composite using an automated system. Such methods determine relative binding sites based on thermodynamic principles, using a thermodynamic alphabet and a thermodynamic scoring matrix, with appropriate computer software, such as BLASTP. The invention also provides methods for designing polynucleotide probes to be used in hybridization assays, and minimizing the occurrence of cross-hybridization.

Abstract: Method and system to predict and optimize probe-target hybridization are provided. The method may be implemented using six interactive, interrelated, software modules. Module 1 predicts the hybridization thermodynamics of a duplex given the two strands. Module 2 finds the best primer of a given length binding to a given target. Module 3 executes a primer walk to find alternative binding sites of a given primer on a given target. Module 5 is a combination of Modules 2 and 3. Module 6 finds the alternative binding sites of a given primer on a given target (Module 3) and calculates the concentration of target with primer bound at primary and alternative sites. Module 7 is a combination of Modules 2 and 5 and also calculates the various concentrations. The six modules can be operated either through an interactive user interface or using batch file submission as provided by Module 4. The program is suited to predict DNA/DNA, RNA/RNA, and RNA/DNA systems.