Abstract: A computer-implemented method of valuing a resource using a computer comprising a processor and a memory storing processor readable instructions, the method comprising: storing in the memory a model representing a relationship between the economic value of the resource, a rate of extraction of the resource and a parameter indicative of a property of the resource; processing, by the processor, the model to generate an economic value of the resource, the model; wherein the model stored in the memory and processed by the processor represents variation of the property of the resource with respect to a parameter based upon a quantity of the resource.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a selected nucleic acid molecule differs by one or more nucleotides from a desired sequence (the desired sequence may be defined to be either a native (e.g., wild type) or non-native (e.g., mutant) nucleotide sequence). The potential difference between the selected nucleic acid molecule and the desired nucleic acid sequence may be due to a germ or somatic mutation and may be, for example, a substitution, deletion addition or transversion of one or more nucleotides. Thus, for example, the method is useful for detection of mutations in oncogenes or mutations in other genes of interest, such as the transmembrane conductance regulator gene, which is implicated in cystic fibrosis.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for detecting a target nucleic acid which comprises forming a reaction mixture which includes the target nucleic acid and an amount of a complementary single-stranded nucleic acid probe which is greater than the target molecule, under conditions which allow the probe and the target nucleic acid to hybridize to each other and form a double stranded target-probe complex, nicking the hybridized probe at least once within a predetermined sequence so as to form at least two probe fragments hybridized to the target nucleic acid, resulting in the probe fragments to become single-stranded and allowing the target nucleic acid to become hybridized to another probe; and identifying probe fragments, thereby detecting the target nucleic acid. This invention also provides a method for detecting a target nucleic acid.

Abstract: A synthetic, non-naturally occurring molecule having the structure:[NA.sub.1 --S--NA.sub.2 ].sub.nwherein NA.sub.1 and NA.sub.2 are noncomplementary nucleic acid sequences;wherein --S-- is a scissile linkage; andwherein n is an integer from 1 to 4.Variations of this molecule and methods for using the molecules for detecting nucleic acid sequences are provided.