Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and devices for amplifying nucleic acid, and, in particular, amplifying so as to generate products on a surface without the use of emulsions. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of groups of amplified product are generated on the surface, each group positioned in different (typically predetermined) locations on said surface so as to create an array.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to receiving bodily fluid through a device opening. In one aspect, the device includes a flow activator arranged to cause fluid to be released from a subject. The flow activator may be actuated in a deployment direction by a deployment actuator, which may in turn cause fluid release from a subject. The flow activator may also be moved in a retraction direction by a retraction actuator. In one aspect, the device may include a vacuum source that may help facilitate fluid flow into the opening of the device and/or may help facilitate fluid flow from the opening to a storage chamber. In one aspect, an effector may enable fluid communication between the opening and the vacuum source and may do so in response to actuation of the flow activator.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to devices and techniques associated with diagnostics, therapies, and other applications, including skin-associated applications, for example, devices for delivering and/or withdrawing fluid from subjects, e.g., through the skin. In some embodiments, the device includes a system for accessing an extractable medium from and/or through the skin of the subject at an access site, and a pressure regulator supported by a support structure, able to create a pressure differential across the skin at at least a portion of the access site. The device may also include, in some cases, a sensor supported by the support structure for determining at least one condition of the extractable medium from the subject, and optionally a signal generator supported by the support structure for generating a signal relating to the condition of the medium determined by the sensor.

Abstract: A synthetic aperture optics (SAO) imaging method minimizes the number of selective excitation patterns used to illuminate the imaging target, based on the objects' physical characteristics corresponding to spatial frequency content from the illuminated target and/or one or more parameters of the optical imaging system used for SAO. With the minimized number of selective excitation patterns, the time required to perform SAO is reduced dramatically, thereby allowing SAO to be used with DNA sequencing applications that require massive parallelization for cost reduction and high throughput. In addition, an SAO apparatus optimized to perform the SAO method is provided. The SAO apparatus includes a plurality of interference pattern generation modules that can be arranged in a half-ring shape.

Abstract: This document provides methods and materials for detecting genetic and/or epigenetic elements. For example, methods and materials for detecting the presence or absence of target nucleic acid containing a genetic or epigenetic element, methods and materials for detecting the amount of target nucleic acid containing a genetic or epigenetic element within a sample, kits for detecting the presence or absence of target nucleic acid containing a genetic or epigenetic element, kits for detecting the amount of target nucleic acid containing a genetic or epigenetic element present within a sample, and methods for making such kits are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions, including, without limitation, algorithms, computer readable media, computer programs, apparatus, and systems for determining the identity of nucleic acids in nucleotide sequences using, for example, data obtained from sequencing by synthesis methods. The methods of the invention include correcting one or more phenomena that are encountered during nucleotide sequencing, such as using sequencing by synthesis methods. These phenomena include, without limitation, sequence lead, sequence lag, spectral crosstalk, and noise resulting from variations in illumination and/or filter responses.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to host cells with artificial endosymbionts, wherein the artificial endosymbiont and the host cell communicate with each other to alter a phenotype of the host cell. In some embodiments, the communication comprises the secretion of a polypeptide from the artificial endosymbiont into the host cell. The secreted polypeptide can be a selectable marker, a reporter protein, a transcription factor, a signal pathway protein, a receptor, a growth factor, a cytokine, an effector molecule or other factors that can produce a phenotype in the host cell.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to eukaryotic host cells comprising artificial endosymbionts and methods of introducing artificial endosymbionts into eukaryotic host cells. The invention provides artificial endosymbionts that introduce a phenotype to host cells that is maintained in daughter cells. The invention additionally provides eukaryotic host cells containing magnetotactic bacteria.

Abstract: The present invention is directed generally to eukaryotic cells comprising single-celled organisms that are introduced into the eukaryotic cell through human intervention and which transfer to daughter cells of the eukaryotic cell, and methods of introducing such single-celled organisms into eukaryotic cells. The invention provides single-celled organisms that introduce a phenotype to eukaryotic cells that is maintained in daughter cells. The invention additionally provides eukaryotic cells containing magnetic bacteria. The invention further provides eukaryotic cells engineered with single-celled organisms to allow for multimodal observation of the eukaryotic cells. Each imaging method (or modality) allows the visualization of different aspects of anatomy and physiology, and combining these allows the imager to learn more about the subject being imaged.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for growing cells—referred to as a cassette. The cell culturing device includes a housing that contains a lid having an optically clear window; a fluid distribution channel; a sample injection port fluidically connected to the fluid distribution channel; a base housing a porous media pad; and a media injection port fluidically connected to the media pad. The lid mates to the base to form a sterile seal; the fluid distribution channel is disposed over the media pad, which is viewable through the optical window; and sample fluid introduced into the fluid distribution channel is distributed evenly to the media pad, e.g., via a plurality of channels. The invention also provides kits that include cassettes of the invention and a tube set.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-stage thermal convection apparatus such as a two-stage thermal convection apparatus and uses thereof. In one embodiment, the two-stage thermal convection apparatus includes a temperature shaping element that assists a thermal convection mediated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The invention has a wide variety of applications including amplifying nucleic acid without cumbersome and expensive hardware associated with many prior devices. In a typical embodiment, the apparatus can fit in the palm of a user's hand for use as a portable, simple to operate, and low cost PCR amplification device.

Abstract: This document provides methods and materials for detecting target nucleic acid. For example, methods and materials for detecting the presence or absence of target nucleic acid, methods and materials for detecting the amount of target nucleic acid present within a sample, kits for detecting the presence or absence of target nucleic acid, kits for detecting the amount of target nucleic acid present within a sample, and methods for making such kits are provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-stage thermal convection apparatus and uses thereof. In one embodiment, the invention features a three-stage thermal convection apparatus that includes a temperature shaping element for assisting a thermal convection mediated Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The invention has a wide variety of applications including amplifying nucleic acid without cumbersome and expensive hardware associated with many prior devices. In a typical embodiment, the apparatus can fit in the palm of a user's hand for use as a portable, simple to operate, and low cost PCR amplification device.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of endosymbiosis, eukaryotic cells engineered with artificial endosymbionts, and magnetotactic bacteria. In particular, the invention provides single-celled organisms such as artificial endosymbionts, including magnetotactic bacteria, eukaryotic cells to host those single-celled organisms, and methods of using eukaryotic cells containing single-celled organisms. The invention also provides eukaryotic cells engineered with intracellular single-celled organisms which eukaryotic cells can be tracked in an animal and monitored for viability. The invention also provides for multimodal detection of a eukaryotic cell in an animal to monitor the location and viability of the eukaryotic cell.

Abstract: The invention features a method of monitoring a clotting process by measuring a signal characteristic of the NMR relaxation of water in a sample undergoing clotting to produce NMR relaxation data and determining from the NMR relaxation data a magnetic resonance parameter of water in the sample characteristic of the clots being formed.

Abstract: This invention features systems and methods for the detection of analytes, and their use in the treatment and diagnosis of disease.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to receiving bodily fluid through a device opening. In one aspect, the device includes a flow activator arranged to cause fluid to be released from a subject. A deployment actuator may actuate the flow activator in a deployment direction, which may in turn cause fluid release from a subject. The flow activator may also be moved in a retraction direction by a retraction actuator. In one aspect, the device may include a vacuum source that may help facilitate fluid flow into the opening of the device and/or may help facilitate fluid flow from the opening to a storage chamber. In one aspect, a device actuator may enable fluid communication between the opening and the vacuum source and the flow activator may be actuated after the enablement of fluid communication.

Abstract: This invention relates to methods for the transformation of Setaria species such as Setaria viridis and transformed plants produced according to the method. Specifically, this invention relates to direct transformation of callus derived from mature embryos using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and plants regenerated from the transformed callus tissue. The methods comprise utilizing Setaria mature embryos as the source of plant material for callus induction; induced calli can be infected by Agrobacterium hosting an appropriate vector. Transgenic plants are regenerated from transgenic calli grown under conditions favoring growth of transformed cells while substantially inhibiting growth of non-transformed cells. These methods provide for significantly increased plant transformation efficiency with minimal ratio of escapes.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for delivering and/or receiving a substance or substances such as blood from subjects. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to devices and methods for receiving or extracting blood from a subject, e.g., from the skin and/or from beneath the skin, using devices containing a substance transfer component (for example, one or more needles or microneedles) and a reduced pressure or vacuum chamber having an internal pressure less than atmospheric pressure prior to receiving blood. In some embodiments, the device may contain a “snap dome” or other deformable structure, which may be used, at least in part, to urge or move needles or other suitable substance transfer components into the skin of a subject. In some cases, for example, the device may contain a flexible concave member and a needle mechanically coupled to the flexible concave member such that the needle may be urged or moved into the skin using the flexible concave member.