Abstract: An electro-optic semiconductor device (e.g., an optical modulator) having side access and beam propagation within the device is provided. Side access for the optical input and/or output facilitates disposition of electronic circuitry and/or heat sinking structures on the top and bottom surfaces of the modulator. Internal beam propagation instead of internal waveguiding advantageously simplifies optical coupling and alignment to the modulator. Interaction length within the device is preferably enhanced by passing through the device active region at a relatively shallow angle. The internally propagating beam is reflected from a reflective face parallel to the device active region. The side faces can be perpendicular or tilted with respect to the reflective face. Tilted side faces are preferably tilted to provide external beam paths parallel to the reflective face. Internal reflection from an angled side face can be employed to provide configurations having one side port and one top or bottom port.

Abstract: An electro-optic semiconductor device (e.g., an optical modulator) having side access and beam propagation within the device is provided. Side access for the optical input and/or output facilitates disposition of electronic circuitry and/or heat sinking structures on the top and bottom surfaces of the modulator. Internal beam propagation instead of internal waveguiding advantageously simplifies optical coupling and alignment to the modulator. Interaction length within the device is preferably enhanced by passing through the device active region at a relatively shallow angle. The internally propagating beam is reflected from a reflective face parallel to the device active region. The side faces can be perpendicular or tilted with respect to the reflective face. Tilted side faces are preferably tilted to provide external beam paths parallel to the reflective face. Internal reflection from an angled side face can be employed to provide configurations having one side port and one top or bottom port.

Abstract: A system having a movable platform including synthesis gas production, synthetic crude production and product upgrading is provided. The system may include one or more movable platforms on which the various production and/or upgrading facilities are located. A process for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon products is also provided where the process occurs on a movable platform. The process may occur on one or more operationally connected vessels. The movable platform may be any of a number of movable or transportable bases on which process equipment may be placed and/or in which hydrocarbon products may be stored.

Abstract: A vertical door locking system includes a door lock with a deadbolt that moves horizontally, a striker with an upward facing strike opening that vertically receives the deadbolt and a lock controller. The striker includes an electrically operated catch to engage and release the deadbolt. The door lock and striker are mounted opposite each other, one to the vertical door and the other to an adjacent fixed mounting point. The lock controller electrically operates the striker to release the deadbolt and allow it to move vertically out of engagement with the striker for primary access to a secure area and the door lock allows the deadbolt to be retracted horizontally away from the striker for secondary access. A remotely located control system optionally controls the lock controllers of multiple doors and a central office control system is optionally connected to multiple remotely located control systems.

Abstract: A system having a movable platform including synthesis gas production, synthetic crude production and product upgrading is provided. The system may include one or more movable platforms on which the various production and/or upgrading facilities are located. A process for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon products is also provided where the process occurs on a movable platform. The process may occur on one or more operationally connected vessels. The movable platform may be any of a number of movable or transportable bases on which process equipment may be placed and/or in which hydrocarbon products may be stored.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Binary Encoded Sequence Tags (BEST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments; adding an adaptor to the ends containing recognition site for cleavage at a site offset from the recognition site; cleaving the fragment to generate fragments having a plurality sticky ends; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends. The fragments are indexed by adding a offset adaptor to newly generated ends. A different adaptor will be coupled to each different sticky end. The resulting fragments—which will have defined ends, be of equal lengths (in preferred embodiment), and a central sequence derived from the source nucleic acid molecule—are binary sequence tags. The binary sequence tags can be used and further analyzed in numerous ways.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for sensitive detection of one or multiple analytes. In general, the methods involve the use of special label components, referred to as reporter signals, that can be associated with, incorporated into, or otherwise linked to the analytes. In some embodiments, the reporter signals can be altered such that the altered forms of different reporter signals can be distinguished from each other. In some embodiments, sets of reporter signals can be used where two or more of the reporter signals in a set have one or more common properties that allow the reporter signals having the common property to be distinguished and/or separated from other molecules lacking the common property.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Binary Encoded Sequence Tags (BEST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments; adding an adaptor to the ends containing recognition site for cleavage at a site offset from the recognition site; cleaving the fragment to generate fragments having a plurality sticky ends; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends. The fragments are indexed by adding a offset adaptor to newly generated ends. A different adaptor will be coupled to each different sticky end. The resulting fragments—which will have defined ends, be of equal lengths (in preferred embodiment), and a central sequence derived from the source nucleic acid molecule—are binary sequence tags. The binary sequence tags can be used and further analyzed in numerous ways.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Fixed Address Analysis of Sequence Tags (FAAST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments having a variety of sticky end sequences; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends; associating a detector sequence with the fragments; sequence-based capture of the indexed fragments on a detector array; and detection of the fragment labels. Generation of the multiple sticky end sequences is accomplished by incubating the nucleic acid sample with one or more nucleic acid cleaving reagents. The indexed fragments are captured by hybridization and coupling, preferably by ligation, to a probe. The method allows a complex sample of nucleic acid to be quickly and easily cataloged in a reproducible and sequence-specific manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Binary Encoded Sequence Tags (BEST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments; adding an adaptor to the ends containing recognition site for cleavage at a site offset from the recognition site; cleaving the fragment to generate fragments having a plurality sticky ends; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends. The fragments are indexed by adding a offset adaptor to newly generated ends. A different adaptor will be coupled to each different sticky end. The resulting fragments—which will have defined ends, be of equal lengths (in preferred embodiment), and a central sequence derived from the source nucleic acid molecule—are binary sequence tags. The binary sequence tags can be used and further analyzed in numerous ways.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions and methods for sensitive detection of one or multiple analytes. In general, the methods involve the use of special label components, referred to as reporter signals, that can be associated with, incorporated into, or otherwise linked to the analytes. In some embodiments, the reporter signals can be altered such that the altered forms of different reporter signals can be distinguished from each other. In some embodiments, sets of reporter signals can be used where two or more of the reporter signals in a set have one or more common properties that allow the reporter signals having the common property to be distinguished and/or separated from other molecules lacking the common property.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extracting the vector optical properties of biological samples with micron-scale resolution in three dimensions, using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT). The method measures net retardance, net fast axis, and reflectivity. Polarization sensing is accomplished by illuminating the sample with at least three separate polarization states, using consecutive acquisitions of the same pixel, A-scan, or B-scan. The method can be implemented using non-polarization-maintaining fiber and a single detector. This PS-OCT method reported measures fast axis explicitly. In a calibration test of the system, net retardance was measured with an average error of 7.5° (standard deviation 2.2°) over the retardance range 0° to 180°, and fast axis with average error of 4.8° over the range 0° to 180°.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Fixed Address Analysis of Sequence Tags (FAAST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments having a variety of sticky end sequences; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends; associating a detector sequence with the fragments; sequence-based capture of the indexed fragments on a detector array; and detection of the fragment labels. Generation of the multiple sticky end sequences is accomplished by incubating the nucleic acid sample with one or more nucleic acid cleaving reagents. The indexed fragments are captured by hybridization and coupling, preferably by ligation, to a probe. The method allows a complex sample of nucleic acid to be quickly and easily cataloged in a reproducible and sequence-specific manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Binary Encoded Sequence Tags (BEST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments; adding an adaptor to the ends containing recognition site for cleavage at a site offset from the recognition site; cleaving the fragment to generate fragments having a plurality sticky ends; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends. The fragments are indexed by adding a offset adaptor to newly generated ends. A different adaptor will be coupled to each different sticky end. The resulting fragments—which will have defined ends, be of equal lengths (in preferred embodiment), and a central sequence derived from the source nucleic acid molecule—are binary sequence tags. The binary sequence tags can be used and further analyzed in numerous ways.

Abstract: An electronic purse card value system (10) includes terminal devices (12). Each terminal device includes a processor (26) which is in operative connection with a memory (28) and a modem (36). The processor is further in operative connection with components of the terminal device including a customer interface (14) through which inputs are accepted and outputs are delivered, a card reader (22) and a printing device (30,34). The terminal devices are operative to communicate with host computers (42,44,46) through a communication system (38). The system is operative to carry out transactions in which data representative of value is loaded and unloaded from integrated circuit chips on customer cards (24). Data representative of value is stored in the memories of the cards such that certain value amounts are stored in one memory area while other value amounts are stored in a second memory area.

Abstract: A refrigerated serving device is disclosed. The refrigerated serving device is portable. It includes a food chilling area. A compressor is operatively connected to an evaporator coil and a condenser coil forming a refrigeration unit which maintains the food chilling area at a desired temperature.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the comprehensive analysis of nucleic acid samples and a detector composition for use in the method. The method, referred to as Fixed Address Analysis of Sequence Tags (FAAST), involves generation of a set of nucleic acid fragments having a variety of sticky end sequences; indexing of the fragments into sets based on the sequence of sticky ends; associating a detector sequence with the fragments; sequence-based capture of the indexed fragments on a detector array; and detection of the fragment labels. Generation of the multiple sticky end sequences is accomplished by incubating the nucleic acid sample with one or more nucleic acid cleaving reagents. The indexed fragments are captured by hybridization and coupling, preferably by ligation, to a probe. The method allows a complex sample of nucleic acid to be quickly and easily cataloged in a reproducible and sequence-specific manner.

Abstract: A refrigerated serving device is disclosed. The refrigerated serving device is portable. It includes a food chilling area. A compressor is operatively connected to an evaporator coil and a condenser coil forming a refrigeration unit which maintains the food chilling area at a desired temperature.

Abstract: A turbine impeller pump assembly includes a rotating shaft and inboard and outboard casing members coupled together with each having cavity channels, and an annular recess, and an axial opening to receive the rotating shaft. Inboard and outboard liner members are structurally arranged to be received by the annular recesses in the casing members and an impeller member is positioned between the liner members and keyed for rotation with the shaft. The inboard and outboard liner members each have at least two flow channels structurally arranged to cooperate with the cavity channels to provide equal and opposite pressures on the impeller to maintain the impeller in alignment with respect to the liner members.

Abstract: An electronic purse card value system (10) includes terminal devices (12). Each terminal device includes a processor (26) which is in operative connection with a memory (28) and a modem (36). The processor is further in operative connection with components of the terminal device including a customer interface (14) through which inputs are accepted and outputs are delivered, a card reader (22) and a printing device (30,34). The terminal devices are operative to communicate with host computers (42,44,46) through a communication system (38). The system is operative to carry out transactions in which data representative of value is loaded and unloaded from integrated circuit chips on customer cards (24).