Author: claimsbot

1. A automated method for preparing a plurality of targets for hybridization to a microarray comprising:
incubating nucleic acid probes in a hybridization buffer so that the nucleic acid probes bind to the surface of a substrate, wherein the hybridization buffer comprises tetramethyl ammonium chloride (TMAC).
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the hybridization buffer further comprises MES, EDTA and Tween 20.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein nucleic acid comprises of cRNA or cDNA
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of TMAC is between about 1 M to about 4M.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of MES is between about 50 mM and 200 mM.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of EDTA is between 5 mM and 40 mM.
6. The method claim 1, wherein the concentration of Tween is between 0.001% and 0.5%.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the incubation temperature is about 40 to 55\xb0 C.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the incubation time is between 10 and 20 hours.
9. A microarray hybridization buffer comprising betwee 75 and 150 mM MES, between 15 and 30 mM EDTA, between 0.001 and 0.02% Tween 20, and between 2 and 3 M TMAC and optionally comprising herring sperm DNA, acetylated BSA, Denhardt’s solution and human cot-1 DNA.
10. An array holding buffer comprising about 60 to 80 mM MES, about 0.8 to 1.2 M NaCl, and about 0.005 to 0.02% Tween.
11. A method for preparing amplified and labeled cRNA from a plurality of RNA samples in parallel comprising:
synthesizing first strand cDNA from the RNA using reverse transcriptase and a T7 promoter primer;
synthesizing second strand cDNA using a DNA polymerase and RNase H to obtain double stranded cDNA with a T7 RNA polymerase promoter;
cleaning the double stranded cDNA using solid phase reversible immobilization to magnetic beads;
eluting the cleaned double stranded cDNA from the magnetic beads; and
mixing the cleaned double stranded cDNA in a reaction comprising T7 RNA polymerase and labeled nucleotides to generate cRNA.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least 8 samples are analyzed.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least 24 samples are analyzed.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein at least 96 samples are analyzed.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the cRNA is labeled with biotin.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein the samples are processed on an automated liquid handling robot.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A combustor dome module for a gas turbine engine combustor comprising:
an annular pre-vaporizing chamber defined by an outer wall, an inner wall, and a heat shield, said heat shield including an opening adapted to allow a fuel to pass into a piloting flame stability region of the gas turbine engine combustor;
an outer swirler coupled to said outer wall of said pre-vaporizing chamber; and
an inner swirler coupled to said inner wall of said pre-vaporizing chamber.
2. The combustor dome module of claim 1, wherein said inner swirler is formed integral with said inner wall member of said pre-vaporizing chamber, and said outer swirler is formed integral with said outer wall member of said pre-vaporizing chamber.
3. The combustor dome module of claim 1, wherein said heat shield is made of a ceramic material and floats relative to at least one of said inner and outer wall members of said pre-vaporizing chamber.
4. The combustor dome module of claim 1, wherein said inner and outer swirlers are radial or axial inflow bulk swirlers.
5. The combustor dome module of claim 1, wherein said inner swirler is adapted to impart a swirl to a flow discharged therefrom in a direction that is the same as, or opposite, that imparted to a flow discharged from said outer swirler.
6. The combustor dome module of claim 1, wherein each of said swirlers discharges a flow that recirculates toward said heat shield, thereby creating a double vortex.
7. A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprising:
a combustion chamber having an annular configuration defined by an inner wall and an outer wall;
a combustor dome module coupled to said inner and outer walls of said combustion chamber, said combustor dome module including an annular pre-vaporizing chamber defined by an inner wall member, an outer wall member, and a heat shield; and
means disposed in said pre-vaporizing chamber for delivering a fuel into said pre-vaporizing chamber.
8. The combustor of claim 7, wherein said heat shield includes an opening to allow fuel to pass into a piloting flame stability region of said combustion chamber.
9. The combustor of claim 7, further comprising an inner swirler coupled to said inner wall member of said pre-vaporizing chamber, and an outer swirler coupled to said outer wall member of said pre-vaporizing chamber.
10. The combustor of claim 9, wherein said inner swirler is formed integral with said inner wall member of said pre-vaporizing chamber, and said outer swirler is formed integral with said outer wall member of said pre-vaporizing chamber.
11. The combustor of claim 9, further comprising inner and outer cowlings coupled to said combustor dome module and defining a fluid flow passageway for passage of a pressurized working fluid to said inner and outer swirlers.
12. The combustor of claim 9, wherein said inner and outer swirlers are radial or axial inflow bulk swirlers.
13. The combustor of claim 9, wherein said inner swirler is adapted to impart a swirl to a flow discharged therefrom in a direction that is the same as, or opposite, that imparted to a flow discharged from said outer swirler.
14. The combustor of claim 9, wherein each of said swirlers discharges a flow that recirculates forward toward said heat shield, thereby creating a double vortex.
15. The combustor of claim 9, wherein a vaporized fuel and air mixture exiting said pre-vaporizing chamber enters said combustion chamber between said heat shield and said swirlers.
16. The combustor of claim 9, wherein a vaporized fuel and air mixture exiting said pre-vaporizing chamber is directed through said swirlers before entering said combustion chamber.
17. The combustor of claim 9, wherein a flow of fuel is sprayed into said combustion chamber through said swirler vanes.
18. The combustor of claim 7, wherein said means for delivering fuel into said pre-vaporizing chamber includes at least one fuel nozzle with at least one opening oriented to spray fuel onto said heat shield, whereby the fuel is normally vaporized upon reaching the heat shield.
19. The combustor of claim 18, wherein said at least one opening numbers nine.
20. The combustor of claim 7, wherein said means for delivering fuel into said pre-vaporizing chamber includes a plurality of fueling nozzles spaced around said annular pre-vaporizing chamber.
21. The combustor of claim 20, wherein said plurality of fueling nozzles numbers eight.
22. The combustor of claim 7, wherein said heat shield is made of a ceramic material and floats relative to said inner and outer wall members of said pre-vaporizing chamber.
23. A gas turbine engine combustor comprising:
a pre-mixing zone;
a reaction zone;
a heat shield separating said pre-mixing zone from said reaction zone, said heat shield having an outer surface in said pre-mixing zone; and
a fueling nozzle disposed in said pre-mixing zone for spraying fuel onto said outer surface of said heat shield, thereby cooling said heat shield.
24. The combustor of claim 23, wherein said reaction zone has an annular configuration.
25. The combustor of claim 23, wherein said pre-mixing zone has an annular configuration.

1. A method for introducing material into a region of a patient’s body, comprising the steps of:
providing an elongate member for introducing the material, the elongate member defining a lumen and having a distal end defining an aperture and a proximal end operatively connected to a receptacle structured to house the material, the receptacle being at least partially previous to light to allow visualization of the material within the receptacle;
positioning the elongate member at a target side of a patient’s body;
providing a motorized device at least partially disposed within the lumen, the motorized device including a shaft and helical projections extending from the shaft; and
introducing the material from the receptacle and through the lumen into the target site using the motorized device to rotate the shaft.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motorized device remains substantially static with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongate member during the step of introducing material.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of positioning the elongate member at the target site of the patient’s body.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of positioning the elongate member is facilitated by fluoroscopic visualization.
5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of positioning the elongate member further comprises the steps of:
providing an introducer apparatus comprising a cannula defining a cannula lumen and an obturator disposed within the cannula lumen;
inserting the introducer apparatus into the patient’s body such that a distal end of the cannula is positioned at the target site of the patient’s body;
withdrawing the obturator from the cannula lumen; and
inserting the elongate member into the cannula lumen.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of inserting the introducer apparatus in facilitated by fluoroscopic visualization.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising a step of injecting a fluid through the cannula lumen.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of an anesthetic, an antibiotic and a dye.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of removing at least one of the material, a second material and tissue from the target site.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the tissue is tissue of a nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc.
11. The method of claim 5, wherein the distal end of the cannula is positioned at a posterior portion of a nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc of the patient’s body.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of synthetic materials, synthetic tissues, natural tissues, cements and pharmaceutical compounds.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the motorized device is recessed proximally from the aperture when the motorized device is fully disposed within the elongate member, wherein the recession of the distal end of the motorized device functions to reduce the likelihood of damage to non-target tissue.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the elongate member and the motorized device are operatively connected to a handpiece and wherein a motor is housed within the handpiece and is operatively connected to the motorized device.
15. (canceled)
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the motorized device comprises an auger.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the motor is capable of rotating the auger in a forward or a reverse direction.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein a distal portion of the elongate member defines at least one slot extending proximally from a distal end of the elongate member.
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is coaxial with the elongate member.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the receptacle is coaxial with the shaft.
21. A device for introducing material into a target site of a patient’s body, the device comprising:
an elongate member defining a lumen and having a distal end defining an aperture and a proximal end;
a receptacle structured to house the material and operatively connected to the proximal end, the receptacle being at least partially previous to light to allow visualization of the material within the receptacle; and
a motorized device at least partially disposed within the lumen, the motorized device including a shaft and helical projections extending from the shaft, the material being introducible from the receptacle and through the lumen into the target site using the motorized device to rotate the shaft.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein the motorized device is fixedly mounted with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongate member.
23. The device of claim 21, further including an introducer apparatus comprising a cannula defining a cannula lumen and an obturator disposed within the cannula lumen, the cannula lumen sized to receive the elongate member.
24. The device of claim 21, wherein the motorized device can be rotated in one direction to deliver the material to the target site and in another direction to remove material from the target site.
25. The device of claim 21, wherein a distal end of the motorized device is recessed proximally from the aperture when the motorized device is fully disposed within the elongate member.
26. The device of claim 21, wherein at least one of the elongate member and the motorized device are operatively connected to a handpiece and wherein a motor is housed within the handpiece and is operatively connected to the motorized device.
27. The device of claim 21, wherein the motorized device comprises an auger.
28. The device of claim 27, wherein the motor is capable of rotating the auger in a forward or a reverse direction.
29. The device of claim 21, wherein the receptacle is coaxial with the elongate member.
30. The device of claim 29, wherein the receptacle is coaxial with the shaft.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A longitudinally collapsible container comprising a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, said generally cylindrical side wall structure having a longitudinal central axis and a collapsible helical portion, said collapsible helical portion having a collapsible surface of generally uniform radius extending generally parallel with respect to said central axis, wherein said collapsible helical portion is defined between first and second longitudinally spaced groove portions, one of said groove portions traveling at least 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
2. The collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure is compressible from an extended position to a compressed position, wherein the distance between said top portion and said bottom base portion is less in said compressed position than in said extended position.
3. The collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein compression forces acting in a direction generally parallel with said central axis cause said collapsible helical portion to deform, thereby causing the distance between said top portion and said bottom base portion to decrease.
4. A collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure further comprises at least one helical groove oriented towards said central axis.
5. A collapsible container as in claim 4 1, wherein said collapsible helical portion is defined between adjacent revolutions of a helical groove.
6. A collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises a deformable material selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymers, elastomers, and plastics.
7. A collapsible container as in claim 6, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
8. A collapsible container as in claim 1, further comprising a viscous substance disposed therein.
9. A collapsible container as in claim 1, further comprising a carbonated beverage disposed therein.
10. A collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein the internal volume of said container is between about 0.3 liters and about 3 liters.
11. A collapsible container as in claim 1, further comprising compression means associated with at least a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure for compressing said collapsible helical portion.
12. A collapsible container as in claim 11, wherein said compression means comprises a cup section.
13. A collapsible container as in claim 11, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure further comprises at least one helical groove oriented towards said central axis and wherein said compression means is adapted to engage said helical groove.
14. A collapsible container as in claim 13, wherein said compression means comprises a cup section having an internal thread portion, said internal thread portion being configured and dimensioned to engage said helical groove.
15. A collapsible container as in claim 14, wherein when said cup section is rotated relative to said generally cylindrical side wall structure, at least a portion of said collapsible helical portion is caused to deform.
16. A longitudinally collapsible container system comprising in combination:
a collapsible container having a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, said generally cylindrical side wall structure having a longitudinal central axis, a helical groove and a collapsible helical portion defined between adjacent revolutions of said helical groove, said collapsible helical portion having a surface being generally uniform in radius and extending generally parallel with respect to said longitudinal central axis; and
a cup section for engaging and retaining at least a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure within said cup section.
17. A collapsible container system as in claim 16, wherein rotation of said cup section relative to said collapsible container causes at least a portion of said collapsible helical portion to deform.
18. A collapsible container system as in claim 16, wherein said cup section has an internal helical thread adapted to engage said at least one helical groove.
19. A collapsible container as in claim 16, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises a deformable material selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymers, elastomers, and plastics.
20. A method of storing a carbonated beverage comprising:
providing a collapsible container having a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, said generally cylindrical side wall structure having a central axis, a helical groove and a collapsible helical portion defined between adjacent revolutions of said helical groove, said collapsible helical portion having a surface being generally uniform in radius and extending generally parallel with respect to said central axis;
providing a cup section for engaging and retaining at least a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure within said cup section;
filling said collapsible container with a carbonated beverage;
dispensing a portion of said carbonated beverage; and
turning said cup portion relative to said collapsible container to decrease the distance between said top portion and said bottom base portion of said container.
21. The collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein said collapsible helical portion travels at least 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
22. The collapsible container as in claim 1, wherein said collapsible helical portion is defined between first and second longitudinally spaced groove portions.
23. The collapsible container as in claim
22
1, wherein said first and second groove portions are portions of a helical groove that travels more than 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
24. The collapsible container as in claim
22
1, wherein said first and second longitudinally spaced groove portions travel around a portion of the generally cylindrical side wall structure at generally the same pitch.
25. The collapsible container as in claim
22
1
, wherein said first and second groove portions travel upward in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the container.
26. The collapsible container as in claim
22
1, wherein said collapsible helical portion is disposed generally adjacent said
bottom
base portion and at least third, fourth, fifth and sixth longitudinally spaced groove portions are disposed longitudinally above the collapsible helical portion.
27. A longitudinally collapsible container comprising a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, said generally cylindrical side wall structure having a longitudinally central axis and a collapsible surface portion, said collapsible surface portion having a collapsible surface of generally uniform radius extending generally parallel with respect to said central axis and being disposed between first and second longitudinally spaced groove portions, wherein said first groove portion travels
at least 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure and around a portion of the generally cylindrical side wall structure in an upward direction, away from the bottom
base
portion and towards the top portion of the container.
28. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein said first groove portion is a portion of a helical groove.
29. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein at least a portion of said first groove portion is angled at a constant pitch.
30. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein said first groove portion travels at least 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
31. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein said first and second groove portions are portions of a helical groove that travels more than 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure and the collapsible surface is defined between the upper and lower longitudinally spaced portions of the helical groove.
32. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein at least portions of said first and second groove portions are angled at generally the same pitch and travel around a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure, thereby defining a collapsible helical portion therebetween.
33. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein said first groove portion travels upward in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the collapsible container.
34. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein said first and second groove portions travel upward in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the collapsible container, thereby defining a collapsible helical portion therebetween that also travels upward in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the collapsible container.
35. The collapsible container as in claim 34, wherein both said first and second groove portions are portions of a helical groove that travels more than 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
36. The collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein compression forces acting in a direction generally parallel with said central axis cause said collapsible surface portion to deform, thereby causing the distance between said top portion and said bottom
base portion to decrease.
37. A collapsible container as in claim 27, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises a deformable material selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymers, elastomers, and plastics.
38. A collapsible container as in claim 37, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
39. A collapsible container as in claim 27, further comprising compression means associated with at least a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure for compressing said collapsible surface portion.
40. A collapsible container as in claim 39, wherein said compression means comprises a cup section.
41. A longitudinally collapsible container comprising a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, said generally cylindrical side wall structure having a longitudinal central axis and a plurality of longitudinally spaced collapsible surface portions disposed between the top and bottom base portions, one or more said collapsible surface portions having a collapsible surface of generally uniform radius extending generally parallel with respect to said central axis and being defined between adjacent longitudinally spaced groove portions, wherein a first of said groove portions is generally disposed adjacent said top portion and a second of said groove portions is disposed longitudinally below said first groove portion and travels at least 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure, both said first and second groove portions traveling around a portion of the generally cylindrical side wall structure in an upward direction away from the bottom base portion and towards the top portion of the container, thereby defining one said collapsible surface portions therebetween that also travels about a portion of the generally cylindrical wall structure in an upward direction.
42. The collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein the second groove portion is a portion of a groove that travels at least 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
43. The collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein the first and second longitudinally spaced groove portions are portions of the same helical groove that travels more than 360\xb0 around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
44. The collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein portions of both said first and second groove portions travel in an upward, counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the collapsible container.
45. The collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein the collapsible surface portion defined between the first and second groove portions travels at least 360\xb0 around said generally cylindrical side wall structure.
46. The collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein a third groove portion is generally disposed adjacent saidbottom base portion, is longitudinally spaced from said first and second groove portions and travels around a portion of the generally cylindrical side wall structure in an upward direction away from the bottom base portion towards the top portion of the container.
47. The collapsible container as in claim 46, wherein the first, second and third groove portions are portions of the same helical groove that travels more than two times around the generally cylindrical side wall structure.
48. The collapsible container as in claim 46, wherein at least six longitudinally spaced collapsible surface portions are disposed between the second and third groove portions.
49. The collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein compression forces acting in a direction generally parallel with said central axis cause one or more said collapsible surface portions to deform, thereby causing the distance between said top portion and said bottom base portion to decrease.
50. A collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises a deformable material selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymers, elastomers, and plastics.
51. A collapsible container as in claim 50, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
52. A collapsible container as in claim 41, wherein the internal volume of said container is between about 0.3 liters and about 3 liters.
53. A collapsible container as in claim 41, further comprising compression means associated with at least a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure for compressing one or more said collapsible surface portions.
54. A collapsible container as in claim 53, wherein said compression means comprises a cup section.
55. A longitudinally collapsible container comprising a top portion and a base portion joined by a generally cylindrical side wall structure, said generally cylindrical side wall structure having a longitudinal central axis and a plurality of longitudinally spaced collapsible surface portions disposed between the top and bottom base portions, at least one said collapsible surface portions having a collapsible surface of generally uniform radius extending generally parallel with respect to said central axis and being defined between first and second longitudinally spaced groove portions, said first groove portion being generally disposed adjacent the bottom
base portion and said second groove portion being disposed longitudinally above said first groove portion, both said first and second groove portions traveling about a portion of the generally cylindrical side wall structure in an upward direction away from the bottom
base portion and towards the top portion of the container, wherein the second groove portion travels in an upward, counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the container
, the collapsible container also having a third groove portion disposed longitudinally above said first and second groove portions, the third groove portion traveling at least 360\xb0 around said generally cylindrical side wall structure
.
56. The collapsible container as in claim 55, wherein the first groove portion also travels in an upward, counterclockwise direction as viewed from the top of the container, thereby defining a collapsible helical portion therebetween.
57. The collapsible container as in claim 56, wherein the first and second groove portions are portions of a helical groove that travels more than 360\xb0 around said generally cylindrical side wall structure.
58. The collapsible container as in claim 55, wherein the collapsible surface portion defined between the first and second groove portions travels at least 360\xb0 around said generally cylindrical side wall structure.
59. The collapsible container as in claim 55, wherein a third groove portion is disposed longitudinally above said first and second groove portions, the third groove portion traveling at least 360\xb0 around said generally cylindrical side wall structure.
60. The collapsible container as in claim 55, wherein compression forces acting in a direction generally parallel with said central axis cause one or more said collapsible surface portions to deform, thereby causing the distance between said top portion and said bottom
base
portion to decrease.
61. A collapsible container as in claim 55, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises a deformable material selected from the group consisting of metal foils, polymers, elastomers, and plastics.
62. A collapsible container as in claim 61, wherein said generally cylindrical side wall structure comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
63. A collapsible container as in claim 55, wherein the internal volume of said container is between about 0.3 liters and about 1.3 liters.
64. A collapsible container as in claim 55, further comprising compression means associated with at least a portion of said generally cylindrical side wall structure for compressing at least one said collapsible surface portions.
65. A collapsible container as in claim 64, wherein said compression means comprises a cup section.