Abstract: Techniques and systems for using nonlinear four wave mixing to optically measure microarrays with sample cells of biological or chemical materials. Examples of suitable microarrays include but are not limited to DNA microchips and capillary electrophoresis microarrays.

Abstract: A device and a method are disclosed for the detection and/or for the quantification of an analyte. In at least one embodiment, the device includes a basic matrix and magnetized nanoparticles, which are arranged in moveable fashion in or at the basic matrix and to which catcher molecules that bind specifically to the analyte are anchored. Further, the mobility of the nanoparticle in the basic matrix can be influenced by a binding of the analyte to be detected to the catcher molecules and can be read out magnetically.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an isolated genomic polynucleotide fragment that encodes human soluble (cytosolic) aminopeptidase P, vectors and hosts containing the fragment and fragments hybridizing to noncoding regions as well as antisense oligonucleotides to these fragments. The invention is further directed to methods of using these fragments to obtain human soluble aminopeptidase P and to diagnose, treat, prevent and/or ameliorate a pathological disorder.

Abstract: An aptamer-probe complex for detecting the presence of a target molecule is disclosed. The complex of the present invention contains an aptamer moiety which is able to bind to an indicator protein and change the properties of the indicator protein, and a probe moiety which is able to bind to a target molecule, wherein the aptamer moiety and the probe moiety are combined in such a manner that the binding mode between the aptamer moiety and the indicator protein changes when the probe moiety binds to the target molecule. A target molecule can be detected with combination of an aptamer which binds to a certain protein, and a probe which binds to the target molecule, utilizing the properties of that protein as an indicator.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring on a micro-array a PCR amplification of a nucleotide molecule being present in a solution.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for the isolation, culture and use of highly regenerative somatic mammalian cells. The cells are very small, and have an undefined nuclear structure. The cells may be isolated from fetal or adult tissues, and are found in tissue including, without limitation, fetal dermal tissue, blood, and bone marrow. The cells are characterized as expressing one or more markers selected from E-cadherin, integrin ?1, CXCR4, CD90 and CD34, and may be selected on the basis of such expression patterns.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of gene activity markers for classification of patients suffering from infectious and non-infectious multiple organ failure, respectively. The present invention in particular relates to gene activity markers for classification of patients as “not infected without multiple organ failure” or as “not suffering from infectious multiple organ failure” or as “suffering from infectious multiple organ failure”, the gene activity markers being polynucleotides selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID I.1, SEQ ID I.2, SEQ ID I.3, SEQ ID I.4, SEQ ID I.5, SEQ ID I.6, SEQ ID I.7, SEQ ID I.8 and SEQ ID I.9 or partial sequences thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are assays for detecting the presence of a lysine-increasing transgenic event based on the DNA sequence of the exogenous DNA construct inserted into the maize genome and of genomic sequences flanking the insertion site. Also provided are transgenic plants having a novel exogenous DNA construct that expresses a dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase, the activity of which results in increased lysine in a plant or plant product.

Abstract: This invention provides compositions and methods for HCV typing, e.g., genotyping and/or subtyping. The compositions and methods of the invention can be used to assign an HCV isolate to one of at least five HCV genotypes (for example, selected from genotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6), or assign an HCV isolate to one of at least six subtypes (for example, selected from subtypes 1a/b/c, 2a/c, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a or 6a), where the methods of the invention use only a single typing probe to make the HCV type assignment.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single stranded primer-promoter-selector construct comprising (in 3? to 5? orientation) a primer subsequence annealing to the target, a T7 or other promoter subsequence (the template strand), and a selector subsequence. The primer can be extended by template mediated elongation, including reverse transcription, or ligation to another oligonucleotide. The promoter sequence is oriented to direct the in-vitro transcription (IVT) opposite to that of primer extension, where the selector subsequence serves as a template for IVT. The selector is associated with the target subsequence of interest and it, and the amplified product are unique subsequences, dissimilar to other sequence present in the sample. The construct's is useful for determination of the presence and relative abundance of designated subsequences in the sample, multiplex gene expression analysis, multiplex allele counting, determination of polymorphic/mutation site, and loss of heterozygosity.

Abstract: A thermocycler comprising a temperature control block (1,2,3) which is designed to receive several specimens and which is fitted with a control unit (6) that in consecutive cycles applies the different temperature levels (40° C., 70° C., 95° C.) of a PCR procedure to said block, said thermocycler being characterized in that said temperature controlling block is sub-divided into thermally separate segments (1,2,3) each of which is controlled separately and receives several specimens, the control unit (6) being designed to drive the said segments at different cycling rates (nine, seven, four).

Abstract: It is intended to provide novel primers for nucleic acid amplification to be used in detecting mRNA of a housekeeping gene, more particularly, confirming the amplification of ?-actin or GAPDH. More specifically speaking, primers containing oligonucleotides having nucleotide sequences represented by any of SEQ ID NOS: 2 and 4 to 49 (in the case of ?-actin) or oligonucleotides having nucleotide sequences represented by any of SEQ ID NOS: 52 to 96 (in the case of GAPDH) can be selected, combined and used.

Abstract: Biology-based processes for detecting toxic substances are provided. The processes comprise detecting mRNA that is expressed in the presence of toxic substances by a cell comprising a yeast gene as followed, or a gene that is homologous to the yeast genes and is derived from other species, wherein the mRNA corresponds to said yeast gene or said homologous gene thereof.

Abstract: A method for evaluating or selecting a substance capable of preventing or curing photodamage of skin is provided. Provided is a method for evaluating or selecting an agent for preventing or curing photodamage of skin, the method including: (A) contacting cells that are capable of expressing TIMP-1 gene or TIMP-1 protein, with a test substance; (B) measuring the expression level of the TIMP-1 gene or the TIMP-1 protein in the cells; (C) comparing the expression level obtained in (B), with the expression level of TIMP-1 gene or TIMP-1 protein in a control group in which the cells capable of expressing TIMP-1 gene or TIMP-1 protein have not been contacted with the test substance; and (D) evaluating or selecting the test substance which increases the expression level of TIMP-1 gene or TIMP-1 protein, as an agent for preventing or curing photodamage of skin, based on the results of (C).

Abstract: This invention relates to reagent comprising: any one of cells, viral particles, organelles, parasites, cells comprising organelles, cells comprising viral particles, cells comprising parasites, cells comprising bacterial cells and any combination thereof, the cells, viral particles, organelles or parasites comprising at least one nucleic acid sequence serving as an internal control (IC) target for nucleic acid testing (NAT) assay; wherein the reagent is suitable to be added to a test sample undergoing sample preparation to release, concentrate and/or purify nucleic acids and amplification and/or detection of nucleic acids so as to be used to verify: (i) the efficiency of sample preparation; and (ii) the efficiency of nucleic acid amplification and/or detection. The present invention also relates to a method to verify or validate the preparation and amplification and/or detection of a nucleic acid target sequence in a sample spiked with a reagent of the present invention.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to discover an endogenous wheat sequence satisfying the conditions of: a) it is universally present in varieties of wheat, b) the amount present (detected amount) is not affected by the wheat variety, c) even if other grains are present, only wheat can be detected without cross-reactivity, and d) it is amplified quantitatively by the PCR reaction. A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of accurately detecting and quantitating endogenous wheat DNA in a test sample by the polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for repairing a polynucleotide so that it can be copied with improved fidelity and/or yield in, for example, an amplification reaction. This involves the use of a reaction mixture that includes a ligase and a cofactor selected from NAD+ or ATP and incubating the polynucleotide with the reaction mixture in the absence of Endonuclease VI. The reaction mixture may further contain an AP endonuclease and a polymerase. If used, these enzymes may be selected according to their ability to withstand high temperatures. For example, the reaction mixture may be used prior to a polynucleotide synthesis reaction in which case enzymes that are not thermophilic may be used. The repair reaction is not time sensitive with respect to seconds, minutes or hours of incubation in the enzyme mixture in as much as the repair is effected rapidly and prolonged incubation is not generally adverse.

Abstract: A process for detecting the presence of a mutation in an oligonucleotide strand such as a DNA strand from a gene without the need for DNA sequencing is provided. The inventive process provides a rapid pre-test to screen for the presence or absence of a mutation in a target gene of a subject to determine whether laborious sequencing protocols are required to further characterize a mutation. The inventive process provides a rapid screening protocol for identifying and detecting a genetic mutation in a patient who presents with a disease.

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: The present invention provides methods, compositions and kits for using an RNA polymerase for making transcription products corresponding to a target sequence by obtaining single-stranded DNA transcription substrates that comprise a single-stranded promoter that is operably joined to a single-stranded target sequence. The invention has broad applicability for research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications, such as preparing cDNA corresponding to full-length mRNA, making sense or anti-sense probes, detecting gene- or organism-specific sequences, cloning, cell signaling or making RNA for use in RNAi.