Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method including one or more of amplifying a nucleic acid sequence of interest in a sample comprising genomic DNA of a subject; amplifying a reference nucleic acid sequence in the sample; quantifying the amplified sequence of interest relative to the amplified reference sequence; and determining a copy number of the sequence of interest from the relative quantified amplified sequence of interest. The reference sequence can have at least 80% sequence identity to at least one of SEQ ID NO:1-38. Also disclosed are kits, systems and compositions that can include a first probe which specifically hybridizes to at least a portion of at least one reference sequence.

Abstract: A flow cell subassembly includes a carriage assembly coupled to a flow cell body to selectively engage a nozzle with a base of a cuvette. The carriage assembly includes a linear bearing slidingly engaged with the flow cell body, a tiltable carriage plate coupled to the linear bearing, and a nozzle mount coupled to the tiltable carriage plate. The nozzle mount receives a nozzle assembly with the nozzle. Set screws can adjust pitch angle of the tiltable carriage plate with the linear bearing to adjust engagement between the nozzle and cuvette in a first dimension. To adjust engagement between the nozzle and cuvette in a second dimension, axial play in bolts/screws through the tiltable carriage plate into threaded holes of the linear bearing allow for yaw angle adjustments.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods, as well as combinations, kits, and systems that include the compositions and methods, for amplification, detection, characterization, assessment, profiling and/or measurement of nucleic acids in samples, particularly biological samples. Compositions and methods provided herein include combinations of microbial species target-specific nucleic acid primers for selective amplification and/or combinations of primers for amplification of nucleic acids from a large group of taxonomically related microorganisms. In one aspect, amplified nucleic acids obtained using the compositions and methods can be used in various processes including nucleic acid sequencing and used to detect the presence of microbial species and assess microbial populations in a variety of samples.

Abstract: A method, comprising amplifying a nucleic acid sequence of interest in a sample comprising genomic DNA of a subject; amplifying a reference nucleic acid sequence in the sample; quantifying the amplified sequence of interest relative to the amplified reference sequence; and determining a copy number of the sequence of interest from the relative quantified amplified sequence of interest. The reference sequence may have at least 80% sequence identity to at least one of SEQ ID NO:1-38, such as SEQ ID NO:1-13. Also disclosed are kits and compositions, each comprising a first probe which specifically hybridizes to at least a portion of at least one reference sequence. Also disclosed is a system configured to perform the above method.

Abstract: A method, comprising amplifying a nucleic acid sequence of interest in a sample comprising genomic DNA of a subject; amplifying a reference nucleic acid sequence in the sample; quantifying the amplified sequence of interest relative to the amplified reference sequence; and determining a copy number of the sequence of interest from the relative quantified amplified sequence of interest. The reference sequence may have at least 80% sequence identity to at least one of SEQ ID NO:1-38, such as SEQ ID NO:1-13. Also disclosed are kits and compositions, each comprising a first probe which specifically hybridizes to at least a portion of at least one reference sequence. Also disclosed is a system configured to perform the above method.

Abstract: A method, comprising amplifying a nucleic acid sequence of interest in a sample comprising genomic DNA of a subject; amplifying a reference nucleic acid sequence in the sample; quantifying the amplified sequence of interest relative to the amplified reference sequence; and determining a copy number of the sequence of interest from the relative quantified amplified sequence of interest. The reference sequence may have at least 80% sequence identity to at least one of SEQ ID NO:1-38, such as SEQ ID NO:1-13. Also disclosed are kits and compositions, each comprising a first probe which specifically hybridizes to at least a portion of at least one reference sequence. Also disclosed is a system configured to perform the above method.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods and computer-readable media for providing a consensus decoding algorithm for a generalized Reed-Solomon Code. The method includes calculating a syndrome on a received data pattern using a unique subspace parity-check matrix inside each of a plurality of consensus decoders, generating respective extrinsic information from each check node to variable node in each consensus decoder of the plurality of consensus decoders to yield complete extrinsic information, performing a unanimous vote on the complete extrinsic information to determine an error estimate for each variable node in each consensus decoder, combining error estimates for each variable node generated from the plurality of consensus decoders to yield a final error estimate and correcting the received data pattern according to the final error estimate.

Abstract: A vehicle window sunshade for protecting against the harmful effects of heat and radiation from the sun. The sunshade comprises a collapsible sheet formed from a flexible material which includes a plurality of superimposed layers. The plurality of superimposed layers comprises a top layer of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material, an inner layer of polyester film and a bottom layer made of clothing material. The top layer is flexible and adaptable to absorb/reflect the heat and radiation from sun. The inner layer is adaptable to keep air inside a vehicle to provide a fluffy feel for thermal purposes. The bottom layer is disposed with perforations to provide ventilation and breathability. The sunshade includes a plurality of suction cups and a plurality of rings to attach to and detach from a vehicle's window. In the preferred embodiment, the sunshade is custom manufactured to fit all windows for a variety of vehicle models.

Abstract: A system for making computing applications aware of business events. The system can consist of an enterprise integration layer that automatically publishes business events and a messaging system that automatically subscribes to business events and makes the computing applications aware of the business events. The enterprise integration layer can include a set of client access interfaces, a business object server, and a set of adapters. The interfaces transform data from the format of a front-office application to a common data format. The business object server performs object assembly and disassembly, caching and synchronization, and service invocation functions. The adapters transform business objects into data requests compatible with a back-office system. The enterprise integration layer can also include an enterprise object model to standardize business objects, a rules engine to define and store rules regarding data and events, and a business event repository to contain definitions of business events.

Abstract: A system for accessing a plurality of portals is provided. The system includes a user interface, a back office system maintaining information, and a first portal coupled to access at least a portion of the back office system. The first portal having a first portal user interface to enable a user to access at least portions of the information of the back office system. The system includes a second portal having a second portal user interface, and a metaportal in communication with the first and second portals and the user interface, the metaportal is operable to collect at least a portion of the first and second portal user interfaces for display via the user interface to enable the user to access at least a portion of the information maintained by the back office system. A method for migrating from disparate portals to the metaportal is also provided.

Abstract: A CORBA-compliant computer network includes a registration server on which an AAR service resides, a registry database and an ORB which couples the registry server to the registry database. A CORBA-compliant interceptor residing on the ORB intercepts each message, generated by the AAR service, invoking the registry database and each message, generated by the registry database, responding to the invocation message generated by the service of the client server. The interceptor selects information useful in determining the cause of a failed usage of the service residing in the client server from each intercepted invocation and response messages, writes the selected information to a data store residing in the client server and then re-invokes the intercepted invocation and response messages. In the event of a network failure, the data written to the data store may be reviewed to obtain useful information regarding the network failure.

Abstract: A system for communication between a mainframe environment and a Java environment. The system can consist of a mainframe messaging system resident in the mainframe environment having an outbound and an inbound queue, a Java messaging system resident in the Java environment having an outbound and an inbound queue, and an intermediate messaging system coupled to the outbound and inbound queues of the mainframe messaging system and coupled to the outbound and inbound queues of the Java messaging system. The Java environment may be a J2EE environment. The mainframe messaging system may be an MQSeries messaging system and the Java messaging system may be a JMS messaging system. The outbound queue of the mainframe messaging system may communicate only messages directed to the Java environment and the inbound queue of the mainframe messaging system may communicate only messages directed from the Java environment.

Abstract: An ornament light chain circuit comprising a plurality of LEDs, a switch circuit, a pressure sensor, a signal amplification circuit connecting to the said pressure sensor, a chip including a switch terminal, a light signal terminal and a signal input terminal with the said switch terminal connecting to the switch circuit, the said light signal terminal connecting to the said LEDs, and the signal input terminal connecting to the signal amplification circuit so as when its user blows air to the pressure sensor, the sensor detects a pressure signal, the pressure signal is amplified by the signal amplification circuit and then transmitted to the signal input terminal, and then the chip turns off the LEDs via the light signal terminal. The present light chain can be served as an electronic candle. Such an ornament light chain circuit can be applied in greeting cards, birthday cakes, dolls and the like.

Abstract: The present invention, known as the Middleware Brokering System, brokers messages between middleware computing products. Each middleware service can send data to the Middleware Brokering System in its native data format and programming syntax. The Middleware Brokering System converts the data transmitted from the different platforms into a standard format known as a structured event. Messages are then transmitted to and stored in an underlying, commercially available publish/subscribe engine. The Middleware Brokering System contains internal logic that determines whether any subscribers are interested in the messages. If an interested subscriber is found, the Middleware Brokering System retrieves the message from the publish/subscribe engine, converts the data from the structured event into the native format of the receiving application, and sends the message to the appropriate application.

Abstract: The present invention is a method embodied in a deferred-synchronous messaging software for providing deferred-synchronous messaging capability for applications in a non-threading model. In essence, it enables asynchronous behavior to be executed in parallel within a single-threaded environment, without need of either an operating system or programming environment supporting threads in order to perform multiple synchronous calls in different processes. As a result, applications are able to perform simultaneous multiple synchronous calls without spawning multiple processes. The present invention provides a model to allow applications to enhance their business processes without using inter-process communications. Thus, it allows simultaneous multiple business synchronous processing without complex inter-process communication logic.

Abstract: The invention comprises methods and apparatus for implementing a trader service. The present invention involves creating a trader service, preferably compliant with the CORBA CosTrader Specification, where the trader service is arranged to store persistent information using a directory service. This aspect involves creating a storage mechanism comprising a directory service, preferably a directory service compliant with LDAP version 2, which is arranged to store the persistent information for the trader service. An additional embodiment may be implemented by creating a data store interface for interacting with the directory service, wherein such interaction comprises the use of protocol compliant with LDAP version 2.

Abstract: A system for making computing applications aware of business events. The system can consist of an enterprise integration layer that automatically publishes business events and a messaging system that automatically subscribes to business events and makes the computing applications aware of the business events. The enterprise integration layer can include a set of client access interfaces, a business object server, and a set of adapters. The interfaces transform data from the format of a front-office application to a common data format. The business object server performs object assembly and disassembly, caching and synchronization, and service invocation functions. The adapters transform business objects into data requests compatible with a back-office system. The enterprise integration layer can also include an enterprise object model to standardize business objects, a rules engine to define and store rules regarding data and events, and a business event repository to contain definitions of business events.

Abstract: A CORBA-compliant computer network includes a registration server on which an AAR service resides, a registry database and an ORB which couples the registry server to the registry database. A CORBA-compliant interceptor residing on the ORB intercepts each message, generated by the AAR service, invoking the registry database and each message, generated by the registry database, responding to the invocation message generated by the service of the client server. The interceptor selects information useful in determining the cause of a failed usage of the service residing in the client server from each intercepted invocation and response messages, writes the selected information to a data store residing in the client server and then re-invokes the intercepted invocation and response messages. In the event of a network failure, the data written to the data store may be reviewed to obtain useful information regarding the network failure.

Abstract: The present invention, sometimes referred to as an Application Message Wrapper Generation Wizard or Wizard (for short), is a tool to help application developers map Cobol or Natural copybooks into a message command for an ASCII-based text messaging service. In this sense, the Wizard facilitates communication between client applications and server applications by allowing the client to use generic requests and allowing the Wizard generated files providing the correct protocol and syntax for communication with the destination server application. The Wizard generates Java classes that will mine/plant data a runtime between business objects and a message string that corresponds to the copybook's data structure, and vice versa. The Wizard recognizes different data types of copybook fields respectively, and converts them to/from ASCII.