Abstract: A system for controlling the temperature of a reaction mixture comprises at least one heating device for heating the mixture and a power regulator for regulating the amount of power supplied to the heating device. A controller in communication with the power regulator includes program instructions for heating the reaction mixture by setting a variable target temperature that initially exceeds a desired setpoint temperature for the mixture. When the heating device reaches a threshold temperature, the variable target temperature is decreased to the desired setpoint temperature. In another embodiment, the controller includes an adaptive control program for dynamically adjusting the duration or intensity of power pulses provided to the heating device.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or a time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction comprises a detection mechanism for measuring, at a plurality of different times during the amplification reaction, at least one signal whose intensity is related to the quantity of a nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction. A controller in communication with the detection mechanism is programmed to store signal values defining a growth curve for the nucleic acid sequence, determine a derivative of the growth curve, and calculate a cycle number or time value associated with a characteristic of the derivative.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally controlling and optically interrogating a reaction mixture includes a vessel [2] having a chamber [10] for holding the mixture. The apparatus also includes a heat-exchanging module [37] having a pair of opposing thermal plates [34A, 34B] for receiving the vessel [2] between them and for heating/and or cooling the mixture contained in the vessel. The module [37] also includes optical excitation and detection assemblies [46,48] positioned to optically interrogate the mixture. The excitation assembly [46] includes multiple light sources [100] and a set of filters for sequentially illuminating labeled analytes in the mixture with excitation beams in multiple excitation wavelength ranges. The detection assembly [48] includes multiple detectors [102] and a second set of filters for detecting light emitted from the chamber [10] in multiple emission wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A method for determining an unknown starting quantity of a target nucleic acid sequence in a test sample comprises amplifying the unknown starting quantity of the target nucleic acid sequence in the test sample and known starting quantities of a calibration nucleic acid sequence in respective calibration samples; and determining a respective threshold value for each of the nucleic acid sequences using a derivative of a growth curve derived for the sequence. The starting quantity of the target nucleic acid sequence in the test sample is determined using the threshold value determined for the target sequence and a calibration curve derived from the threshold values determined for the known starting quantities of the calibration nucleic acid sequences.

Abstract: A method for determining a threshold cycle number or time value in a nucleic acid amplification reaction comprising the steps of amplifying a nucleic acid sequence in a reaction mixture; at a plurality of different times during the amplification reaction, measuring at least one signal whose intensity is related to the quantity of the nucleic acid sequence in the reaction mixture; and storing signal values defining a growth curve for the nucleic acid sequence. A derivative of the growth curve is determined and the threshold cycle number or time value is calculated as a cycle number or time value corresponding to a characteristic (e.g., maximum, minimum, or zero-crossing) of the derivative.

Abstract: A system for controlling the temperature of a reaction mixture comprises at least one heating device for heating the mixture and a power regulator for regulating the amount of power supplied to the heating device. A controller in communication with the power regulator includes program instructions for heating the reaction mixture by setting a variable target temperature that initially exceeds a desired setpoint temperature for the mixture. When the heating device reaches a threshold temperature, the variable target temperature is decreased to the desired setpoint temperature. In another embodiment, the controller includes an adaptive control program for dynamically adjusting the duration or intensity of power pulses provided to the heating device.

Abstract: A computer program product for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction tangibly embodies instructions readable by a machine to perform the steps of deriving a growth curve from measurements of a signal whose intensity is related to a quantity of nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction, calculating a derivative of the growth curve, identifying a characteristic of the derivative, and determining a threshold value associated with the characteristic of the derivative. The method provides for highly reproducible threshold values that are independent of noise or background signal in the amplification reaction. Embodiments of a computer program product for determining a starting quantity of a nucleic acid sequence in a test sample are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or a time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction comprises a detection mechanism for measuring, at a plurality of different times during the amplification reaction, at least one signal whose intensity is related to the quantity of a nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction. The apparatus also includes a controller in communication with the detection mechanism. The controller is programmed to perform the steps of deriving a growth curve from the measurements of the signal; calculating a derivative of the growth curve; identifying a characteristic of the derivative; and determining a threshold value associated with the characteristic of the derivative. Embodiments of an apparatus for determining a starting quantity of a nucleic acid sequence in a test sample are also provided.

Abstract: This invention provides an apparatus for rapidly heating and/or cooling a sample in a reaction vessel. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes optics for the efficient detection of a reaction product in the vessel. The invention also provides a reaction vessel having a reaction chamber designed for optimal thermal conductance and for efficient optical viewing of reaction products in the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reaction vessel and apparatus for performing heat-exchanging reactions. The vessel has a chamber for holding a sample, the chamber being defined by a plurality of walls, at least two of the walls being light transmissive to provide optical windows to the chamber. The apparatus comprises at least one heating surface for contacting at least one of the plurality of walls, a heat source for heating the surface, and optics positioned to optically interrogate the chamber while the heating surface is in contact with at least one of the plurality of walls. The optics include at least one light source for transmitting light to the chamber through a first one of the light transmissive walls and at least one detector for detecting light exiting the chamber through a second one of the light transmissive walls.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally controlling and optically interrogating a reaction mixture includes a vessel [2] having a chamber [10] for holding the mixture. The apparatus also includes a heat-exchanging module [37] having a pair of opposing thermal plates [34A, 34B] for receiving the vessel [2] between them and for heating/and or cooling the mixture contained in the vessel. The module [37] also includes optical excitation and detection assemblies [46,48] positioned to optically interrogate the mixture. The excitation assembly [46] includes multiple light sources [100] and a set of filters for sequentially illuminating labeled analytes in the mixture with excitation beams in multiple excitation wavelength ranges. The detection assembly [48] includes multiple detectors [102] and a second set of filters for detecting light emitted from the chamber [10] in multiple emission wavelength ranges.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or a time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction comprises a detection mechanism for measuring, at a plurality of different times during the amplification reaction, at least one signal whose intensity is related to the quantity of a nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction. A controller in communication with the detection mechanism is programmed to store signal values defining a growth curve for the nucleic acid sequence, determine a derivative of the growth curve, and calculate a cycle number or time value associated with a characteristic of the derivative.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally controlling and optically interrogating a reaction mixture includes a vessel [2] having a chamber [10] for holding the mixture. The apparatus also includes a heat-exchanging module [37] having a pair of opposing thermal plates [34A, 34B] for receiving the vessel [2] between them and for heating/and or cooling the mixture contained in the vessel. The module [37] also includes optical excitation and detection assemblies [46,48] positioned to optically interrogate the mixture. The excitation assembly [46] includes multiple light sources [100] and a set of filters for sequentially illuminating labeled analytes in the mixture with excitation beams in multiple excitation wavelength ranges. The detection assembly [48] includes multiple detectors [102] and a second set of filters for detecting light emitted from the chamber [10] in multiple emission wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A computer program product for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction tangibly embodies instructions readable by a machine to perform the steps of deriving a growth curve from measurements of a signal whose intensity is related to a quantity of nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction, calculating a derivative of the growth curve, identifying a characteristic of the derivative, and determining a threshold value associated with the characteristic of the derivative. The method provides for highly reproducible threshold values that are independent of noise or background signal in the amplification reaction. Embodiments of a computer program product for determining a starting quantity of a nucleic acid sequence in a test sample are also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or a time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction comprises a detection mechanism for measuring, at a plurality of different times during the amplification reaction, at least one signal whose intensity is related to the quantity of a nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction. The apparatus also includes a controller in communication with the detection mechanism. The controller is programmed to perform the steps of deriving a growth curve from the measurements of the signal; calculating a derivative of the growth curve; identifying a characteristic of the derivative; and determining a threshold value associated with the characteristic of the derivative. Embodiments of an apparatus for determining a starting quantity of a nucleic acid sequence in a test sample are also provided.

Abstract: A method for determining an unknown starting quantity of a target nucleic acid sequence in a test sample comprises the steps of amplifying the unknown starting quantity of the target nucleic acid sequence in the test sample and known starting quantities of a calibration nucleic acid sequence in respective calibration samples; and determining a respective threshold value for each of the nucleic acid sequences using a derivative of a growth curve derived for the sequence. The starting quantity of the target nucleic acid sequence in the test sample is determined using the threshold value determined for the target sequence and a calibration curve derived from the threshold values determined for the known starting quantities of the calibration nucleic acid sequences. The invention also provides methods for determining a starting quantity of a nucleic acid sequence in a sample using quantitative internal controls or using internal standards.

Abstract: A reaction vessel for holding a sample for a heat-exchanging chemical process has two opposing major faces and a plurality of contiguous minor faces joining the major faces to each other. The major and minor faces form an enclosed chamber having a triangular-shaped bottom portion. The ratio of the thermal conductance of the major faces to that of the minor faces is at least 2:1, and the minor faces forming the triangular-shaped bottom portion of the chamber are optically transmissive. The vessel also has a port for introducing a sample into the chamber and a cap for sealing the chamber.

Abstract: A battery cell having a positive terminal, a negative terminal and a power producing core section (e.g., electrolyte) for systems, such as computer systems, cellular phones, etc. The battery cell also includes an internal circuit to monitor the state of the battery cell. The state that is monitored may include the temperature, charge level of the battery core section, the discharge/charge rate. The circuit may control the battery cell (e.g., cause charging of the battery cell). This internal circuit may be an integrated circuit, such as a microprocessor.

Abstract: A battery cell having a positive terminal, a negative terminal and a power producing core section (e.g., electrolyte) for systems, such as computer systems, cellular phones, etc. The battery cell also includes an internal circuit to monitor the state of the battery cell. The state that is monitored may include the temperature, charge level of the battery core section, the discharge/charge rate. The circuit may control the battery cell (e.g., cause charging of the battery cell). This internal circuit may be an integrated circuit, such as a microprocessor.

Abstract: Circuitry is described for providing a telephone line interface circuit of a MODEM for a computer with an AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics required by a given type telephone network such that the telephone line interface circuit can be matchingly connected with the given type telephone network. The given type telephone network provides an identification code representative of the required AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics. The circuitry comprises a plurality of impedance components that, when connected to the telephone line interface circuit, determine the AC impedance and DC voltage/current characteristics of the telephone line interface circuit. A plurality of terminals are coupled to receive a plurality of control signals associated with the identification code.