Abstract: A method for amplifying a target DNA sequence, said method comprising amplifying said sequence in the presence of: a) a nucleic acid polymerase; b) at least one primer capable of hybridising to said target polynucleotide; c) an internal control sequence to which said primer is capable of hybridising and which is of similar length to the target DNA sequence but with a different percentage GC content; and d) label means for detecting the hybridisation of nucleic acids in the reaction; and detecting the hybridisation of the target and control sequences at different temperatures.

Abstract: A reaction vessel for holding reagents, the vessel made of electrically conducting polymer capable of emitting heat when an electric current is passed through it. The reaction vessel includes a reagent container, such as a capillary tube, slide or chip, in close contact with the electrically conducting polymer. The polymer may be in the form of a film which is wrapped around the tube to form a sheath. This provides a readily controllable heating supply which may be heated and cooled to desired temperatures rapidly. An apparatus suitable for thermal cycling reactions, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) including one or more reaction vessels as well as methods for carrying out such reactions are also described.

Abstract: A device fop detecting liquid incendiaries contained in bottles comprises a flexible cradle, such as a sling of thin rubber sheet (2), mounted between two supports (4); two conductors arranged laterally on the cradle (6), each conductor having a large surface area to thickness ratio; and an electrical circuit including a power source and indication means to provide an indication of the dielectric properties of a bottle placed within the cradle.

Abstract: Semiconductor crystalline materials, e.g. silicon, GaAs, are grown from a melt, e.g. using the Czochralski technique where a seed crystal is dipped into the melt then slowly withdrawn. Rotation of the growing crystal (6) is partly responsible for convective flows within the melt (5). Convective flows are reduced while radial uniformity is improved by subjecting the crystal/melt interface to a shaped magnetic field. This magnetic field is rotationally symmetrical about the axis of crystal rotation, with a component of field parallel to this axis that is less than 500 gauss, preferably less than 200 gauss, with a value above 500 gauss at other parts of the melt. The field may be produced by two superconducting magnet coils (21, 22) spaced apart and arranged co-axially with the axis of crystal rotation.