Abstract: Disclosed is a method for optimising an ex-vivo autologous cell culture procedure, said method including the steps of: obtaining and storing a patient's bioinformatic data; comparing said patient's bioinformatic data with known data in the form of bioinformatic data collected from other patients and/or other predetermined data such as genomic or proteomic data; and selecting ex-vivo cell culture procedure parameters based on the comparison between said patient's bioinformatic data and said known data. The selection can also be influenced by using the better data and/or culture parameter indicators determined by monitoring the outcome of plural cellular therapy attempts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that are useful for tagging personnel for identification and tracking is disclosed. The apparatus may include a taggant, the taggant being a chemical substance that adheres to at least one of human skin, clothing and equipment of personnel and is undetectable by the human eye, and a taggant deployment mechanism that includes the taggant and is configured to release the taggant upon activation of a triggering mechanism, wherein the taggant deployment mechanism is configured such that when the triggering mechanism is activated, the taggant is released from the taggant deployment mechanism and adheres to at least one of human skin, clothing and equipment of personnel within a radius of a point that the taggant is released, the taggant being detectable only by a taggant detection unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that are useful for tagging personnel for identification and tracking is disclosed. The apparatus may include a taggant, the taggant being a chemical substance that adheres to at least one of human skin, clothing and equipment of personnel and is undetectable by the human eye, and a taggant deployment mechanism that includes the taggant and is configured to release the taggant upon activation of a triggering mechanism, wherein the taggant deployment mechanism is configured such that when the triggering mechanism is activated, the taggant is released from the taggant deployment mechanism and adheres to at least one of human skin, clothing and equipment of personnel within a radius of a point that the taggant is released, the taggant being detectable only by a taggant detection unit.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system that transmits emergency information to an emergency response center is disclosed. The system may include an actuator unit located at a first location on an emergency personnel member that may receive an actuation signal from the actuator button, retrieve the emergency personnel member's data file from the memory, and signal the first transmitter to transmit the actuation signal and the emergency personnel member's data file to a communication device located at a second location on the emergency personnel member.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for increasing the fluorescence of a Cyanine dye molecule comprising at least one NO2 group characterized by the reduction of the at least one NO2 group to NHOH or NH2 by the action of a nitroreductase. The cyanine dye molecule comprising at least one NO2 group can be used as a substrate for detecting nitroreductase enzyme activity in a composition and allows for the use of a nitroreductase enzyme in an enzyme-reporter system for the detection of analytes, binding reactions or gene expression.

Abstract: A novel form of dendrimer, polybranched molecule, is described in which fluorescent dyes of the structure exist in a micro environment that affects their fluorescent properties. Within the dendrimer, poly-branched molecules are cleavage sites. When these cleavage sites are treated with a suitable chemical or enzyme which cleaves selective bonds the dyes of the structure are released and a change in their optical properties is effected, notably an increase in fluorescent signal. Methods of using the dendrimer, poly-branched molecule in assays of biological molecules are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for increasing the fluorescence of a Cyanine dye molecule comprising at least one NO2 group characterised by the reduction of the at least one NO2 group to NHOH or NH2 by the action of a nitroreductase. The cyanine dye molecule comprising at least one NO2 group can be used as a substrate for detecting nitroreductase enzyme activity in a composition and allows for the use of a nitroreductase enzyme in an enzyme-reporter system for the detection of analytes, binding reaction or gene expression.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a nucleic acid, polynucleotide, oligonucleotide, or polymer array and device therefore, wherein the method includes synthesizing a plurality of positionally addressable nucleic acids, polynucleotides, oligonucleotides, or polymers in a reaction array, and transferring these positionally addressable substances from the reaction array directly to a substrate to form the desired product array.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of separating or distinguishing carbohydrate substances. More particularly the method includes using fluorescent labeling reagents which have a positive charge when bound to a carbohydrate, involves separating the labeled carbohydrate substances, such as by performing electrophoresis to cause differential migration of different labeled carbohydrate substances, or by isoelectric focusing in a pH gradient. The fluorescent labeling reagents are preferably cyanine dyes.

Abstract: Benzophenoxazine compounds have formula (I) where X is O or NH, Y is NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 or H, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl or -L-A, L is a linker and A may be a reactive group by means of which the compound is linked to a biomolecule. The compounds can be used as fluorescent dyes for labelling biomolecules.

Abstract: Novel squarate dyes are described, and adducts of these dyes with biologically significant chemical species such as nucleosides or nucleotides. The adducts have useful properties for fluorescent nucleic acid sequencing methods.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method of sequencing nucleic acids in which mixtures of oligonucleotide fragments are derived from sequencing reactions using combinations of the 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphate or 3' deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphate terminators and appropriate concentrations of four dNTPs (2'-deoxynucleoside 5' triphosphates, e.g., dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP, dITP, 7-deaza-GTP). These fragments are generated by enzymatic extension of a primer hybridized to the single-stranded template DNA to be sequenced. In contrast to common slab gel sequencing methods, the method of the instant invention does not require precise alignment of the four separation sets of the terminated fragments to permit deduction of the DNA sequence. In addition, the method possesses inherent redundancy in the separations, which facilitates sequence assignment by resolving sequence uncertainties or anomalies.

Abstract: This invention involves method and apparatus for multiplexing electrophoresis analysis. An array of samples in multi well plates are simultaneously transferred to an array of electrophoresis column where electrophoresis is simultaneously carried out followed by analysis of the columns. The methods and apparatus of this invention are, for example, useful for DNA analysis, including sequencing, and for measuring reactions between specifically binding proteins and their binding partners.

Abstract: This invention encompasses a work station for conducting assays which comprises filtering assembly, a slide reading assembly, and a slide with a porous filter membrane wherein the slide has a means for aligning the slide within the filter assembly to filter reagents on predetermined portions of the porous filter membrane and also to position the slide in the slide reading assembly so that detection will occur in those same predetermined locations.

Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided for detecting analytes, where the sample is placed upstream from a reagent which is a component of a signal-producing system. The detection zone is provided upstream from the sample, where the amount of reagent which becomes bound at two sites is determined and the two values used for an accurate determination of an analyte.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the presence of particles in a fluorescent dispersion which exceed either a predetermined fluorescence intensity or size are disclosed. The method and apparatus involve the irradiation of the dispersion with excitation light, the examination of the fluorescent light entering an optical fiber from a portion of the excited region small enough to permit only a low probability that more than one particle of interest is present in the volume during a predetermined period of time, and the measurement of the emitted fluorescence entering the fiber, substantially free of excitation light, to the extent that the fluorescence differs in intensity from that of the dispersion in the absence of the particle.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a characteristic of a signal modulating component related to an analyte of interest at an assay site by measuring light modulated by the component. A light source uniformly illuminates the assay site and a reference site. The light is directed from the sites onto a group of memory cells on the surface of a random access memory. The memory cells will decay from a logical 1 to a logical 0 due to the light over a period of time which is a function of the intensity of the light and the reference voltage of the memory cells marking the difference between a 1 and a 0. The digital state of each of the memory cells in the group is measured a predetermined exposure time. The measured states of a group of memory cells corresponding to the assay site are compared to the memory cell states for a reference group. The measured states are then analyzed to determine a characteristic of the analyte.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a method for measuring intensity fluctuations of an electromagnetic signal of wavelength between about 350 nm to 1200 nm from a liquid medium. The improvement comprises autocorrelating the intensity of the signal over a non-zero interval the duration of which is short compared to the mean duration of the fluctuations. The method has particular applciations in the diagnostic area, particularly where such fluctuations are a result of the presence of fluroscent particles in a liquid medium. Methods are also disclosed for determining an analyte in a sample suspected of containing such analyte.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the presence of particles in a fluorescent dispersion which exceed either a predetermined fluorescence intensity or size are disclosed. The method and apparatus involve the irradiation of the dispersion with excitation light, the examination of the fluorescent light entering an optical fiber from a portion of the excited region small enough to permit only a low probability that more than one particle of interest is present in the volume during a predetermined period of time, and the measurement of the emitted fluorescence entering the fiber, substantially free of excitation light, to the extent that the fluorescence differs in intensity from that of the dispersion in the absence of the particle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for enhanced detection relative to background radiation, of electromagnetic signals from an emitter of radiation in response to incident radiation. The method and apparatus have particular applicability in the field of particle detection, e.g. fluorescent particle detection.