Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for reducing the concentration of extendable free and buried primers relative to amplification product in a sample. The disclosed methods and compositions can be used to reduce or eliminate index hopping in a next generation sequencing (NGS) platform.

Abstract: A massaging system includes an input device including a pressure-position profile sensor and a massaging device connected to and responsive to a signal received from the input device, the massaging device configured to massage at least a portion of a human body. A method of massaging includes providing a massaging system, sensing a pressure-position input profile of a manual input to the input device; and applying a pressure-position massage profile to the portion based at least in part on the pressure-position input profile.

Abstract: A machine-readable storage medium storing executable code is configured to cause a machine to randomly alter a shape of a character. A method for creating a dynamic handwriting font includes: providing a first shaped character; providing a predetermined frequency distribution; and randomly altering a shape of the first shaped character according at least partially to the frequency distribution.

Abstract: A method of increasing resolution in a camera includes: a) ascertaining a pixel location in a first image for each of a plurality of identifiable image points, where a first particular identifiable image point among the plurality of identifiable image points is located in a first pixel in the first image; b) ascertaining a pixel location in a second image for each of the plurality of identifiable image points; and c) determining a first region within the first pixel, the first region smaller than the first pixel, in which the first particular identifiable image point is located, based at least in part on the ascertained pixel locations of the plurality of identifiable image points in the first and second images.

Abstract: A method of pumping a fluid includes: providing a pressurizer for pressurizing the fluid, the pressurizer including at least two storage tanks, where, for each storage tank, the pressurizer includes a propellant entrance valve, a propellant exit valve, a pressurant entrance valve, and a pressurant exit valve, where each of the storage tanks is configured to be filled with the fluid under a low pressure and drained of the fluid under a high pressure by the force of a pressurant; and for each storage tank, opening and closing its associated valves in cycles to sequentially fill and drain the storage tank of the fluid, the cycles each having a cycle time between approximately 1 and 500 milliseconds.

Abstract: A writing system for producing a writing having time-dependent characteristics includes: a pen including: a reservoir containing a fluid; and a writing tip configured to dispense the fluid to a writing surface, wherein the fluid includes a first chemical; and a writing surface including a second chemical chemically reactive with the first chemical, wherein the chemical reaction between the first and second chemicals has a known time dependence, and wherein an extent of chemical reaction between the first chemical and the second chemical is indicative of a time of dispensing of the fluid to the writing surface.

Abstract: A solid propellant rocket engine includes: a propellant formed into a predetermined shape having a combustion cavity and capable of deflagrating into hot, high-pressure gas upon ignition; and a nozzle configured and positioned to expand the hot, high-pressure gas into the atmosphere, where the propellant forms the nozzle as a part of the predetermined shape. A multi-stage rocket unit, a multi-engine rocket stage, and a super-staged rocket each has many rocket engines.

Abstract: A pump for pressurizing a fluid includes an engine portion including a first pressure vessel, a first piston movable inside the first pressure vessel, at least two pressurant entrance valves connected to the first pressure vessel, and at least two pressurant exit valves connected to the first pressure vessel. The valves are configured to be opened and closed automatically and directly as a function of a position of the first piston inside the first pressure vessel. The valves are also configured to be automatically opened and closed out of phase with each other. The pump also includes a pump portion including a second pressure vessel, a second piston connected to the first piston and movable inside the second pressure vessel, at least two fluid entrance valves connected to the second pressure vessel, and at least two fluid exit valves connected to the second pressure vessel.

Abstract: A rocket includes: 1) an air-breathing external combustion rocket engine including: a fuel tank configured to contain a fuel combustible with air; a working medium tank configured to contain a working medium; a combustor connected to the fuel tank and configured to combust the fuel with air to form a hot product gas; a heat exchanger connected to the combustor and configured to heat the working medium with the hot product gas via heat conducting walls of the heat exchanger so as to generate a high-energy working medium having a high pressure; and a nozzle connected to at least one of the working medium tank and the heat exchanger and configured to expand the high-energy working medium so as to generate thrust; and 2) accommodations for a human passenger sufficient to allow the human passenger to fly on the rocket.

Abstract: A pressurizer for pressurizing a fluid includes: at least two storage tanks, where, for each storage tank, the pressurizer further includes: a propellant entrance valve, a propellant exit valve, a pressurant entrance valve, and a pressurant exit valve, where each of the storage tanks is configured to be filled with the fluid under a low pressure when its propellant entrance and pressurant exit valves are open and its propellant exit and pressurant entrance valves are closed, and to be drained of the fluid under a high pressure by the force of a pressurant when its valves are reversed, where its valves are configured to be opened and closed in a cycle to sequentially fill and drain the storage tank of the fluid, the cycle having a cycle time of between 1 and 500 milliseconds, and where the cycles of the valves of the storage tanks are out of phase with each other such that at some time in which one storage tank is being filled with the fluid, at least one other storage tank is being drained of the fluid.

Abstract: A rechargeable cooling device includes: a first reservoir configured to contain a liquid; a second reservoir configured to contain a vapor of the liquid; a heat exchanger connected to the first or second reservoir; and a reusable valve, where the cooling device is configured so that: (a) when the first reservoir contains the liquid at a first pressure and the second reservoir contains the vapor at a lower pressure, the heat exchanger may be made to absorb heat at least in part by opening the reusable valve and allowing the liquid to vaporize; and (b) when pressures in the first and second reservoirs are approximately equal, and after the heat exchanger has been made to absorb heat, the cooling device may be recharged for a subsequent use at least in part by cooling the cooling device.

Abstract: A method for creating a virtual video includes at least one of steps a)–d): a) sending an image of an object to a receiver via an information line, the image having a plurality of identifiable image points being substantially fewer in number than a number of remaining image points of the image, and the object having a plurality of identifiable object points corresponding to the plurality of identifiable image points; b) determining object position data of the plurality of identifiable object points; c) sending the object position data to the receiver via an information line; and d) morphing the image such that image position data of the identifiable image points are adjusted to approximately correspond to the object position data, where all of steps a)–d) are performed.

Abstract: A pen includes a housing; a first reservoir inside the housing and configured to contain a first fluid, the first reservoir including a first opening configured to dispense the first fluid; a second reservoir inside the housing and configured to contain a second fluid, the second reservoir including a second opening configured to dispense the second fluid; a first writing tip extending from the housing and configured to dispense a substantially homogeneously mixed fluid to a writing surface; and a mixing region connected to the first and second openings and the first writing tip and configured to substantially homogeneously mix the first and second fluids and dispense the substantially homogeneously mixed fluid to the first writing tip.

Abstract: A super-staged rocket includes at least approximately 50 rocket engines, where the engines are distributed according to at least one of: at least five multi-engine stages connected in series, each stage including at least ten engines connected in parallel; and at least five multi-stage units connected in parallel, each unit including at least five engines connected in series.

Abstract: A gas generator or rocket engine includes: a first storage tank configured to contain a high-pressure liquid propellant; a nozzle connected to the first storage tank; a heat source connected between the first storage tank and the nozzle and configured to add heat to the high-pressure liquid propellant at a heat transfer rate to substantially gasify the high-pressure liquid propellant, where the nozzle is configured to expel and expand the substantially gasified high-pressure liquid propellant, and where the gas generator is configured so that an expanded temperature of the substantially gasified high-pressure liquid propellant after being expanded by the nozzle is in the range ?50° C. to 100° C., preferably 0° C. to 50° C.; and a controller connected to the heat source and configured to adjust the heat transfer rate.

Abstract: A pressurizer for pressurizing a fluid includes: at least two storage tanks, where, for each storage tank, the pressurizer further includes: a propellant entrance valve, a propellant exit valve, a pressurant entrance valve, and a pressurant exit valve, where each of the storage tanks is configured to be filled with the fluid under a low pressure when its propellant entrance and pressurant exit valves are open and its propellant exit and pressurant entrance valves are closed, and to be drained of the fluid under a high pressure by the force of a pressurant when its valves are reversed, where its valves are configured to be opened and closed in a cycle to sequentially fill and drain the storage tank of the fluid, the cycle having a cycle time of between 1 and 500 milliseconds, and where the cycles of the valves of the storage tanks are out of phase with each other such that at some time in which one storage tank is being filled with the fluid, at least one other storage tank is being drained of the fluid.

Abstract: A pressurizer for pressurizing a fluid includes: a pressurant entrance configured for the introduction of a pressurant; a fluid entrance configured for the introduction of the fluid; a fluid exit configured for the expulsion of the fluid; and at least one transfer chamber movable in a cycle with respect to at least one of the pressurant entrance, the fluid entrance, and the fluid exit, where the pressurizer is configured so that for a portion of a cycle the pressurant exerts a force on the fluid inside the transfer chamber, and where the transfer chamber is configured to receive the pressurant via the pressurant entrance, receive the fluid via the fluid entrance, and expel the fluid via the fluid exit by the force exerted by the pressurant upon the fluid inside the transfer chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a pressurizer for pressurizing a fluid, comprising a pressurant entrance for the introduction of a pressurant, a fluid entrance for the fluid, a fluid exit for the fluid, and a transfer chamber movable in a cycle with respect to the fluid exit, where for a portion of a cycle the pressurant exerts a force on the fluid inside the transfer chamber. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the pressurizer further comprises a spindle housing more than one transfer chamber, rotatable about an axis between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit. In another preferred aspect, the transfer chamber comprises either a flexible membrane or a movable piston to separate the pressurant and the fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a pressurizer for pressurizing a fluid, comprising a pressurant entrance for the introduction of a pressurant, a fluid entrance for the fluid, a fluid exit for the fluid, and a transfer chamber movable in a cycle with respect to the fluid exit, where for a portion of a cycle the pressurant exerts a force on the fluid inside the transfer chamber. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the pressurizer further comprises a spindle housing more than one transfer chamber, rotatable about an axis between the fluid entrance and the fluid exit. In another preferred aspect, the transfer chamber comprises either a flexible membrane or a movable piston to separate the pressurant and the fluid.