Abstract: The present invention introduces a radically different way of accelerating biomolecule conjugates into tissue, and hence towards their targets for purposes of tissue staining. The invention provides for an order of magnitude improvement over the prior art diffusion process used to stain tissue. The invention comprises a method of tissue staining by applying an electric field to a tissue sample in the presence of an electrolyte and biomolecular conjugates of interest suspended in the electrolyte. Typical staining times are reduced to seconds as opposed to 30-120 minutes common in the prior art. The invention is also directed to devices for performing the method.

Abstract: The present invention provides reagents for use in an automated environment for removing or etching embedding media by exposing a biological sample to be stained in histochemical or cytochemical procedures without the dependence on organic solvents. The reagents comprise components optimized to facilitate removal or etching of the embedding media from the biological sample. The present invention also provides reagents for use in an automated environment for cell conditioning biological samples wherein the cells are predisposed for access by reagent molecules for histochemical and cytochemical staining procedures. The reagents comprise components optimized to facilitate molecular access to cells and cell constituents within the biological sample.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a radically different way of accelerating biomolecule conjugates into tissue, and hence towards their targets for purposes of tissue staining. The invention provides for an order of magnitude improvement over the prior art diffusion process used to stain tissue. The invention comprises a method of tissue staining by applying an electric field to a tissue sample in the presence of an electrolyte and biomolecular conjugates of interest suspended in the electrolyte. Typical staining times are reduced to seconds as opposed to 30-120 minutes common in the prior art. The invention is also directed to devices for performing the method.

Abstract: A system, method, service method, and program product for defining and/or managing entitlements and/or authentication entitlements to resources in a computer networking environment is disclosed. Upon receiving one or more dynamic events, the invention verifies one or more users (a selected user) has (entitlement) attributes that satisfy one or more access criteria to access one or more resources. The invention then permits and/or provides access to one or more resources for the selected user over one or more networks without revealing the identity of the selected user to the resource provider.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for ranking the results of a document search by identifying a prior, similar search and assigning a weight to each document based on whether the document was selected by a user of the prior search. The assigned weights are utilized to rank the documents identified by the document search in order of their relevance to the search terms. The search terms of the document search and information describing the selections made by a user of the document search are then stored to facilitate the assignment of weights to documents in future searches. According to another aspect of the invention, the weight assigned to a document is correlated to a degree of closeness of search terms of a prior search and search terms of a new document search. For example, a degree of closeness measurement is defined that correlates to a number of synonyms common between the search terms of a prior search and the search terms of a new document search.

Abstract: The invention provides novel reagents, reagent kits, and methods for automated hybridization. More particularly, the invention provides reagents, reagent kits, and methods for automated in situ hybridization and automated hybridization on a microarray. The use of automated instruments for in situ hybridization and microarray hybridization dramatically reduces the amount of labor and time involved and also facilitates standardization of protocols and consistency between results.

Abstract: A system and method for organizing document search results include identifying words having an association with search query terms. Features of the words are categorized in relation to the search query terms. The results of the document search are presented in at least one category in accordance with the features.

Abstract: The present invention introduces a radically different way of accelerating biomolecule conjugates into tissue, and hence towards their targets for purposes of tissue staining. The invention provides for an order of magnitude improvement over the prior art diffusion process used to stain tissue. The invention comprises a method of tissue staining by applying an electric field to a tissue sample in the presence of an electrolyte and biomolecular conjugates of interest suspended in the electrolyte. Typical staining times are reduced to seconds as opposed to 30-120 minutes common in the prior art. The invention is also directed to devices for performing the method.

Abstract: This invention demonstrates that lower molecular weight dextran sulfate is an effective volume exclusion agent for hybridization reactions. The hybridization buffers of this invention utilize smaller polymers of dextran sulfate, and thus are of a lower viscosity than conventional hybridization buffers that use higher molecular weight dextran sulfate polymers as volume exclusion agents. The lower viscosity of these low molecular weight dextran sulfate polymer buffers makes them useful for automated hybridization processes as in dispensing, automated flow, and mixing on slide.

Abstract: The present invention provides reagents for use in an automated environment for removing or etching embedding media by exposing a biological sample to be stained in histochemical or cytochemical procedures without the dependence on organic solvents. The reagents comprise components optimized to facilitate removal or etching of the embedding media from the biological sample. The present invention also provides reagents for use in an automated environment for cell conditioning biological samples wherein the cells are predisposed for access by reagent molecules for histochemical and cytochemical staining procedures. The reagents comprise components optimized to facilitate molecular access to cells and cell constituents within the biological sample.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically staining or treating multiple tissue samples mounted on microscope slides are provided. Individualized slide temperature control is accomplished by the heating system according to the present invention that has thermal platforms radially mounted to the carousel for heating the slides and sensing the temperature of each. The heating system also permits automated de-waxing if necessary.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improvement in automated tissue staining system having evaporation inhibitor liquid covering the polynucleotide hybridization buffer-covered tissue on a slide, wherein the improvement comprises a polynucleotide hybridization buffer for in situ hybridization comprising a low molecular weight dextran sulfate having a molecular weight range from about 8,000 to about 16,000.

Abstract: The invention provides novel reagents, reagent kits, and methods for automated hybridization. More particularly, the invention provides reagents, reagent kits, and methods for automated in situ hybridization and automated hybridization on a microarray. The use of automated instruments for in situ hybridization and microarray hybridization dramatically reduces the amount of labor and time involved and also facilitates standardization of protocols and consistency between results.

Abstract: This invention demonstrates that lower molecular weight dextran sulfate is an effective volume exclusion agent for hybridization reactions. The hybridization buffers of this invention utilize smaller polymers of dextran sulfate, and thus are of a lower viscosity than conventional hybridization buffers that use higher molecular weight dextran sulfate polymers as volume exclusion agents. The lower viscosity of these low molecular weight dextran sulfate polymer buffers makes them useful for automated hybridization processes as in dispensing, automated flow, and mixing on slide.