Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for optically exciting a plurality of analytes (12) in an array of reaction vessels (14) and for sensing fluorescent light from the analytes (12), wherein excitation light from an excitation light source (38) is supplied to the analytes (12) and wherein fluorescent light from the analytes (12) is simultaneously supplied to a fluorescent detector (34), wherein a plurality of beams (30) of the excitation light is directed into the reaction vessels (14) below the cover (28) through an array of holes (26) in a cover (28) arranged above the array of reaction vessels (14) and a plurality of beams (32) of the fluorescent light from the reaction vessels (14) reaches the fluorescent detector (34).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for optically exciting a plurality of analytes (12) in an array of reaction vessels (14) and for sensing fluorescent light from the analytes (12), wherein excitation light from an excitation light source (38) is supplied to the analytes (12) and wherein fluorescent light from the analytes (12) is simultaneously supplied to a fluorescent detector (34), wherein a plurality of beams (30) of the excitation light is directed into the reaction vessels (14) below the cover (28) through an array of holes (26) in a cover (28) arranged above the array of reaction vessels (14) and a plurality of beams (32) of the fluorescent light from the reaction vessels (14) reaches the fluorescent detector (34).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for optically exciting a plurality of analytes (12) in an array of reaction vessels (14) and for sensing fluorescent light from the analytes (12), wherein excitation light from an excitation light source (38) is supplied to the analytes (12) and wherein fluorescent light from the analytes (12) is simultaneously supplied to a fluorescent detector (34), wherein a plurality of beam bundles (30) of the excitation light is directed into the reaction vessels (14) below the cover (28) through an array of holes (26) in a cover (28) arranged above the array of reaction vessels (14) and a plurality of beam bundles (32) of the fluorescent light from the reaction vessels (14) reaches the fluorescent detector (34).

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the quantification of a target nucleic acid in a sample comprising the following steps: (i) determination of the amplification efficiency of the target nucleic acid under defined amplification conditions, (ii) amplification of the target nucleic acid contained in the sample under the same defined reaction conditions, (iii) measuring the amplification in real-time, (iv) quantification of the original amount of target nucleic acid in the sample by correction of the original amount derived from step (iii) with the aid of the determined amplification efficiency. The efficiency correction of PCR reactions according to the invention for the quantification of nucleic acids can be used for absolute quantification with the aid of an external or internal standard as well as for relative quantification compared to the expression of housekeeping genes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting foam on a liquid surface in a vessel is presented. The vessel has an upper opening surrounded by a border. The vessel can be a tube-shaped. At least one image is taken from a region suspected to contain foam in the vessel by using an image sensing device that provides corresponding image data. An automatic evaluation of the image is performed on the basis of the image data by a data processing system using an image evaluation program. The at least one image is taken from the top of the vessel through the open upper opening onto the liquid surface. The image evaluation program of the data processing system identifies foam areas and non-foam areas in the image and provides information about the presence or absence of foam areas in the image as a result of the image evaluation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting foam on a liquid surface in a vessel is presented. The vessel has an upper opening surrounded by a border. The vessel can be a tube-shaped. At least one image is taken from a region suspected to contain foam in the vessel by using an image sensing device that provides corresponding image data. An automatic evaluation of the image is performed on the basis of the image data by a data processing system using an image evaluation program. The at least one image is taken from the top of the vessel through the open upper opening onto the liquid surface. The image evaluation program of the data processing system identifies foam areas and non-foam areas in the image and provides information about the presence or absence of foam areas in the image as a result of the image evaluation.

Abstract: An integrated instrument for oligonucleotide synthesis and PCR, and a system and method thereof are disclosed. The integrated instrument is basically composed of two independent modules. The first module is a unit for chemical de novo synthesis of oligonucleotides such as oligonucleotide primers and/or oligonucleotide hybridization probes. The second module is a unit for performing an analytical polymerase chain reaction amplification in real time, i.e. a qPCR. The two modules are operatively linked to each other in such a way that a user can load a nucleic sample to be analyzed into the integrated instrument and perform a PCR reaction by programming the instrument without a previous external synthesis of oligonucleotide amplification primers.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the quantification of a target nucleic acid in a sample comprising the following steps: (i) determination of the amplification efficiency of the target nucleic acid under defined amplification conditions, (ii) amplification of the target nucleic acid contained in the sample under the same defined reaction conditions, (iii) measuring the amplification in real-time, (iv) quantification of the original amount of target nucleic acid in the sample by correction of the original amount derived from step (iii) with the aid of the determined amplification efficiency. The efficiency correction of PCR reactions according to the invention for the quantification of nucleic acids can be used for absolute quantification with the aid of an external or internal standard as well as for relative quantification compared to the expression of housekeeping genes.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for performing multi-color real time PCT, comprising a flexible real time PCT instrument and a specific composition or reaction mixture for performing multiplex PCR: In particular, the present invention is directed to a composition or reaction mixture which comprises at least 3, preferably 4-5 and most preferably exactly 4 pairs of FRET hybridization probes. Each pair of said hybridization probes consists of a FRET donor probe carrying a FRET donor moiety and a FRET acceptor probe carrying a FRET acceptor moiety having an emission maximum between 550 and 710 nm.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the quantification of a target nucleic acid in a sample comprising the following steps: (i) determination of the amplification efficiency of the target nucleic acid under defined amplification conditions, (ii) amplification of the target nucleic acid contained in the sample under the same defined reaction conditions, (iii) measuring the amplification in real-time, (iv) quantification of the original amount of target nucleic acid in the sample by correction of the original amount derived from step (iii) with the aid of the determined amplification efficiency. The efficiency correction of PCR reactions according to the invention for the quantification of nucleic acids can be used for absolute quantification with the aid of an external or internal standard as well as for relative quantification compared to the expression of housekeeping genes.

Abstract: An integrated instrument for oligonucleotide synthesis and PCR, and a system and method thereof are disclosed. The integrated instrument is basically composed of two independent modules. The first module is a unit for chemical de novo synthesis of oligonucleotides such as oligonucleotide primers and/or oligonucleotide hybridization probes. The second module is a unit for performing an analytical polymerase chain reaction amplification in real time, i.e. a qPCR. The two modules are operatively linked to each other in such a way that a user can load a nucleic sample to be analyzed into the integrated instrument and perform a PCR reaction by programming the instrument without a previous external synthesis of oligonucleotide amplification primers.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for performing multi-color real time PCR, comprising a flexible real time PCR instrument and a specific composition or reaction mixture for performing multiplex PCR: In particular, the present invention is directed to a composition or reaction mixture which comprises at least 3, preferably 4-5 and most preferably exactly 4 pairs of FRET hybridization probes. Each pair of said hybridization probes consists of a FRET donor probe carrying a FRET donor moiety and a FRET acceptor probe carrying a FRET acceptor moiety having an emission maximum between 550 and 710 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of DNA analysis. In particular, the present invention is directed to a device for the parallel imaging of fluorescence intensities at a plurality of sites as a measure for DNA hybridization. More particular, the present invention is directed to a device to image multiplex real time PCR or to read out DNA microarrays.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the quantification of a target nucleic acid in a sample comprising the following steps: (i) determination of the amplification efficiency of the target nucleic acid under defined amplification conditions, (ii) amplification of the target nucleic acid contained in the sample under the same defined reaction conditions, (iii) measuring the amplification in real-time, (iv) quantification of the original amount of target nucleic acid in the sample by correction of the original amount derived from step (iii) with the aid of the determined amplification efficiency. The efficiency correction of PCR reactions according to the invention for the quantification of nucleic acids can be used for absolute quantification with the aid of an external or internal standard as well as for relative quantification compared to the expression of housekeeping genes.

Abstract: The present invention provides modified digital images of a multicellular sample using molecular profiles of cells from said multicellular sample for a molecular histological analysis.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for determining the efficiency of the amplification of a target nucleic acid comprising the following steps: (i) preparation of a dilution series of the target nucleic acid, (ii) amplifying the target nucleic acid under defined reaction conditions, the amplification being measured in real-time (iii) setting a defined signal threshold value, (iv) determining the cycle number at which the signal threshold value is exceeded for various dilutions, (v) determining the amplification efficiency as a function of the amount of original target nucleic acid. The present invention also concerns a method for the quantification of a target nucleic acid in a sample in which the efficiency of the amplification reaction is determined in this manner and is taken into account in the quantification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of DNA analysis. In particular, the present invention is directed to a device for the parallel imaging of fluorescence intensities at a plurality of sites as a measure for DNA hybridization. More particular, the present invention is directed to a device to image multiplex real time PCR or to read out DNA microarrays.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for performing multi-color real time PCT, comprising a flexible real time PCT instrument and a specific composition or reaction mixture for performing multiplex PCR: In particular, the present invention is directed to a composition or reaction mixtuer which comprises at least 3, preferably 4-5 and most preferably exactly 4 pairs of FRET hybridization probes. Each pair of said hybridization probes consists of a FRET donor probe carrying a FRET donor moiety and a FRET acceptor probe carrying a FRET acceptor moiety having an emission maximum between 550 and 710 nm.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for determining the efficiency of the amplification of a target nucleic acid comprising the following steps: (i) preparation of a dilution series of the target nucleic acid, (ii) amplifying the target nucleic acid under defined reaction conditions, the amplification being measured in real-time (iii) setting a defined signal threshold value, (iv) determining the cycle number at which the signal threshold value is exceeded for various dilutions, (v) determining the amplification efficiency as a function of the amount of original target nucleic acid. The present invention also concerns a method for the quantification of a target nucleic acid in a sample in which the efficiency of the amplification reaction is determined in this manner and is taken into account in the quantification.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of DNA analysis. In particular, the present invention is directed to a device for the parallel imaging of fluorescence intensities at a plurality of sites as a measure for DNA hybridization. More particular, the present invention is directed to a device to image multiplex real time PCR or to read out DNA microarrays.