Abstract: Disclosed are methods of multiplexed analysis of oligonucleotides in a sample, including a method of preventing a significant reduction in duplexes detectable in a hybridization assay involving (i) selecting probe lengths for sets of oligonucleotide probes, wherein probes include different subsequences such that at least one subsequence is complementary to a subsequence in a cognate target; wherein probes for longer cognate targets are longer in length than probes for shorter cognate targets, (ii) selecting, for each set of probes, a density of oligonucleotides probes attached per unit area on a solid phase carrier which is below a limit at which the significant reduction in detectable duplexes is predicated to take place, (iii) producing the probes and affixing them to different solid phase carriers at the selected density, and (iv) annealing targets to the probes, wherein signal intensities of probes and targets of different lengths are about the same.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particulates and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relics on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations.

Abstract: Solute-loaded polymer microparticles are obtained by immersing microparticles in a bath comprising a selected solute dissolved in a ternary solvent system. A first solvent of the ternary system is a strong solvent for both the solute and the polymer from which the microparticle was formed. A second solvent is a weak solvent or non-solvent for the solute and the polymer (tuning solvent). A third solvent is a weak solvent or non-solvent for the solute and polymer, but serves as a co-solvent with respect to the first and second solvents in that it is miscible with both the first and second solvents. The amount of solute incorporated into the microparticles is controlled by adjusting the ratio of solute with respect to the microparticle polymer, and by adjusting the composition of the ternary solvent system, principally the amount of tuning solvent.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and algorithms (and their implementation) supporting the automated analysis and interactive review and refinement (“redaction”) of the analysis within an integrated software environment, for automated allele assignments. The implementation, preferably with a software system and a program referred to as the Automated Allele Assignment (“AAA”) program, provides a multiplicity of functionalities including: data management by way of an integrated interface to a portable database to permit visualizing, importing, exporting and creating customizable summary reports; system configuration (“Set-up”) including user authorization, training set analysis and probe masking; Pattern Analysis including string matching and probe flipping; and Interactive Redaction combining real-time database computations and “cut-and-paste” editing, generating “warning” statements and supporting annotation.

Abstract: A method of selecting nucleic acid samples including particular desired alleles from a plurality of nucleic acid samples including the steps of performing a first reaction in a plurality of pools containing the samples to produce reaction products including a source tag identifying said each pool; pooling the pools to provide pooled pools; for each of the desired alleles to be identified, performing a second reaction using said reaction products to produce allele-specific second reaction products comprising a marker tag and a derived source tag; identifying said allele-specific second reaction products, and further identifying nucleic acid samples with the desired alleles. A source tag sharing number “d” may be determined for each of the alleles. Alleles may also be binned together.

Abstract: A method of selecting nucleic acid samples including particular desired alleles from a plurality of nucleic acid samples including the steps of performing a first reaction in a plurality of pools containing the samples to produce reaction products including a source tag identifying said each pool; pooling the pools to provide pooled pools; for each of the desired alleles to be identified, performing a second reaction using said reaction products to produce allele-specific second reaction products comprising a marker tag and a derived source tag; identifying said allele-specific second reaction products, and further identifying nucleic acid samples with the desired alleles. A source tag sharing number “d” may be determined for each of the alleles. Alleles may also be binned together.

Abstract: Genetic information relating to clinically significant attributes are generated as encrypted molecular signatures, which are provided to a subscriber to be carried as a card or in another form, including for display by a subscriber's computer or smart-phone or PDA. Different features of an individual's molecular attribute profile are preferably each represented by a particular shape, and the encryption can be by changing the color, or spatial orientation of the shapes. The signature is periodically updated as new clinically significant attributes become known. The process of updating the signature and using it to obtain suitable products (which don't have an unacceptable risk of generating an adverse reaction or outcome) is also described.

Abstract: Methods and algorithms for automated allele assignments within an integrated software environment are provided. These methods and algorithms offer a multiplicity of functionalities including: data management; system configuration including user authorization, training set analysis and probe masking; pattern analysis including string matching and probe flipping; and interactive redaction of data. The methods and algorithms further include methods of setting thresholds, refining thresholds, and probe masking of signals produced by probes which do not contribute significantly to discriminating among alleles.

Abstract: A method of identifying attributes in a plurality of biological samples including the steps of determining a source tag sharing number “d” for each of the attributes; providing a plurality of pools for the source tag sharing number “d” wherein each pool comprising a pooled subset of biological samples; for each pool of the plurality of pools, producing at least one pooled pool comprising attribute-specific reaction products comprising a marker tag that uniquely identifies an attribute and a source tag identifying said pool; and identifying said attribute-specific reaction products to identify the attributes. If “d” is equal to or larger than a maximum pool size, the reaction products may not comprise a source tag identifying each pool. Attributes may be binned together.

Abstract: Genetic information relating to clinically significant attributes are generated as unique molecular signatures, which are provided to a subscriber to be carried as a card or in another form, including for display by a subscriber's computer or smart-phone or PDA. The signature is periodically updated as new clinically significant attributes become known. The process of updating the signature and using it to obtain suitable products (which don't have an unacceptable risk of generating an adverse reaction or outcome) is also described.

Abstract: Genetic information relating to clinically significant attributes are generated as encrypted molecular signatures, which are provided to a subscriber to be carried as a card or in another form, including for display by a subscriber's computer or smart-phone or PDA. Different features of an individual's molecular attribute profile are preferably each represented by a particular shape, and the encryption can be by changing the color, or spatial orientation of the shapes. The signature is periodically updated as new clinically significant attributes become known. The process of updating the signature and using it to obtain suitable products (which don't have an unacceptable risk of generating an adverse reaction or outcome) is also described.

Abstract: In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps: adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets.

Abstract: This invention provides high unit density arrays of microparticles and methods of assembling such arrays. The microparticles in the arrays may be functionalized with chemical or biological entities specific to a given target analyte. The high unit density arrays of this invention are formed on chips which may be combined to form multichip arrays according to the methods described herein. The chips and/or multichip arrays of this invention are useful for chemical and biological assays.

Abstract: The present application provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components.

Abstract: Genetic information relating to clinically significant attributes are generated as unique molecular signatures, which are provided to a subscriber to be carried as a card or in another form, including for display by a subscriber's computer or smart-phone or PDA. The signature is periodically updated as new clinically significant attributes become known. The process of updating the signature and using it to obtain suitable products (which don't have an unacceptable risk of generating an adverse reaction or outcome) is also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the generation of novel libraries of encoded magnetic particles from sub-libraries of by the generation of novel sub-libraries of magnetic nanoparticles and encoded particles. The sub-libraries are functionalized on demand are useful in the formation of arrays. The present invention is especially useful for performing multiplexed (parallel) assays for qualitative and/or quantitative analysis of binding interations of a number of analyte molecules in a sample.

Abstract: A method of selecting nucleic acid samples from a plurality of nucleic acid samples based on desired alleles including the steps of performing a first reaction in a plurality of pools of the alleles to be identified to produce reaction products including a source tag identifying said each pool; pooling the pools to provide pooled pools; for each of the desired alleles to be identified, performing a second reaction using said reaction products to produce allele-specific second reaction products comprising a marker tag and a derived source tag; identifying said allele-specific second reaction products to select nucleic acid sample. In some embodiments, the first reaction may not be performed. A source tag sharing number “d” may be determined for each of the alleles. Alleles may be binned together.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided the autocentering, autofocusing, acquiring, decoding, aligning, analyzing and exchanging among various parties, images, where the images are of arrays of signals associated with ligand-receptor interactions, and more particularly, ligand-receptor interactions where a multitude of receptors are associated with microparticles or microbeads. The beads are encoded to indicate the identity of the receptor attached, and therefore, an assay image and a decoding image are aligned to effect the decoding. The images or data extracted from such images can be exchanged between de-centralized assay locations and a centralized location where the data are analyzed to indicate assay results. Access to data can be restricted to authorized parties in possession of certain coding information, so as to preserve confidentiality.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for establishing the compatibility between two blood types on the basis of cross-matching (under a designated rule of stringency) the minor blood group genotypes of recipient and prospective donors. To determine compatibility, the blood group genotypes are mapped to corresponding phenotypes according to the expression states associated with a set of underlying haplotypes, and compatibility is established by establishing the compatibility of blood types constructed as a combination of constituent phenotypes. The bit strings are matched, preferably using an algorithm expression. Where ambiguity in mapping genotypes to haplotypes exists, it can be reduced based on frequency of occurrence of the haplotypes in the sample population, or resolved by gametic phasing. Such reduction or resolution of ambiguity is particularly desirable where mismatches in the antigens expressed by the constituent haplotypes have greater clinical significance.