Abstract: An instrument for conducting nucleic acid amplification reactions in a disposable test device. The test device includes a first reaction chamber containing a first nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., primers and nucleotides) and a second reaction chamber either containing, or in fluid communication, with a second nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., an amplification enzyme such as RT). The instrument includes a support structure receiving the test device. A temperature control system maintains the first reaction chamber at a first elevated temperature but simultaneously maintains the second nucleic acid amplification reagent at a second temperature lower than the first temperature so as to preserve the second nucleic acid amplification reagent. An actuator operates on a fluid conduit in the test device to place the first and second reaction chambers in fluid communication with each other after a reaction has occurred in the first reaction chamber at the first temperature.

Abstract: System and method for use in a hybrid multispot satellite broadcasting system comprising at least one satellite (S; S1; S2) for multibeam broadcasting of beams in respective frequency bandwidths (F1; F2; F3), the system further comprising a plurality of terrestrial repeater (R1; R2; R3) for receiving, processing and re-transmitting said beams in a frequency bandwidth which is different from that of the bandwidth of the beam received. Each terrestrial repeater (R1; R2; R3) re-uses for terrestrial re-transmission a combination of bandwidths corresponding to different beams broadcast from said satellite to different beams.

Abstract: The invention concerns a radio communication terminal, comprising first means for transmitting/receiving RF signals to communicate in a cellular radio communication network, said first means being in standby mode when no communication is set up in the cellular network with another terminal or with the network itself. The invention is characterized in that the terminal comprises second means for receiving at least one carrier dedicated to collective data of multimedia contents, said second means being activated only when the first means are n standby mode. The invention also concerns a method for broadcasting and receiving collective data, as well as a system for broadcasting multimedia contents.

Abstract: An instrument for conducting nucleic acid amplification reactions in a disposable test device. The test device includes a first reaction chamber containing a first nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., primers and nucleotides) and a second reaction chamber either containing, or in fluid communication, with a second nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., an amplification enzyme such as RT). The instrument includes a support structure receiving the test device. A temperature control system maintains the first reaction chamber at a first elevated temperature but simultaneously maintains the second nucleic acid amplification reagent at a second temperature lower than the first temperature so as to preserve the second nucleic acid amplification reagent. An actuator operates on a fluid conduit in the test device to place the first and second reaction chambers in fluid communication with each other after a reaction has occurred in the first reaction chamber at the first temperature.

Abstract: An instrument for conducting nucleic acid amplification reactions in a disposable test device. The test device includes a first reaction chamber containing a first nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., primers and nucleotides) and a second reaction chamber either containing, or in fluid communication, with a second nucleic acid amplification reagent (e.g., an amplification enzyme such as RT). The instrument includes a support structure receiving the test device. A temperature control system maintains the first reaction chamber at a first elevated temperature but simultaneously maintains the second nucleic acid amplification reagent at a second temperature lower than the first temperature so as to preserve the second nucleic acid amplification reagent. An actuator operates on a fluid conduit in the test device to place the first and second reaction chambers in fluid communication with each other after a reaction has occurred in the first reaction chamber at the first temperature.

Abstract: A unit dose test device for a nucleic acid amplification reaction has the form of a elongate disposable test strip. The test strip includes a dual-chamber reaction vessel pre-loaded with nucleic acid amplification reaction reagents, and a plurality of wells for processing a reaction occurring in the reaction vessel.

Abstract: An electric cooking oven comprising a cooking vessel (1), a microwave energy source and a waveguide (2') substantially parallelepiped in shape delimited transversally by two substantially rectangular surfaces (20', 21') located in two parallel planes separated by a predefined distance (d), the output of guided waves occurring in at least two zones (230, 231) located in an outlet plane (23') perpendicular to the two surfaces and delimited by two parallel edges (b'.sub.1, b'.sub.4) connecting the two surfaces. The length (1) of the edges is greater than the distance (d) separating the two surfaces (20', 21') so as to optimize the number of excited transversal electric and/or transversal magnetic modes inside the cooking vessel in excitation planes parallel to the outlet plane.

Abstract: The oven comprises a housing (1) enclosing an open cavity (4) which is closed by a door (6) pivotally mounted about a horizontal shaft (8) placed in the housing. The cavity includes a food-carrying tray (5) horizontally translatable via at least one motion transfer mechanism (10) controlled by the door. The motion transfer mechanism (10) includes several transmission stages, each consisting of a notched belt (12;23) meshing with two toothed wheels (13, 19; 26, 28) set respectively on two horizontal shafts, the shaft of one of the two wheels of the stage level being comprised of the pivoting shaft (8) of the door, and the shaft of one of the two wheels of the last stage extending into the cavity (4) and bearing another toothed wheel (35) that meshes with teeth on a lower edge (5a) of the food-carrying tray (5). The invention relates for instance to microwave ovens.