Author: claimsbot

1. A set of reagents to measure the levels of biomarkers in a specimen, wherein the biomarkers are selected from the group consisting of the following panels of biomarkers and their measurable fragments: (a) CA15-3, CA125, Transthyretin, ApoA-I, B2-microglobulin and Transferrin; (b) CA15-3, CA125, leptin, prolactin, osteopontin, and insulin-like growth factor-II; and (c) CA15-3, CA125, C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, IL-6 and IL-8.
2. The set of reagents of claim 1, wherein one or more of the biomarkers may be replaced by a molecule, or a measurable fragment of the molecule, found upstream or downstream of the biomarker in a biological pathway.
3. The set of reagents of claim 1, wherein the reagents are binding molecules.
4. The set of reagents of claim 3, wherein the binding molecules are antibodies.
5. A test kit comprising the set of reagents of claim 1.
6. A method of predicting the likelihood of cancer in a subject, comprising:
detecting the levels of biomarkers in a specimen using the set of reagents of claim 1, wherein a change in the levels of the biomarkers, as compared with a control group of patients who do not have cancer, is predictive of cancer in that subject.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the cancer is ovarian cancer.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein a change in the relative levels of the biomarkers is determined.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the specimen is selected from the group consisting of blood, serum, plasma, lymph, cerebrospinal fluid, ascites, urine and tissue biopsy.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the ovarian cancer is selected from the group consisting of serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and clear cell cancer.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the prediction of ovarian cancer includes a stage selected from the group consisting of Stage IA, IB, IC, II, III and IV tumors.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising creating a report of the relative levels of the biomarkers.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the report includes the prediction as to the presence or absence of ovarian cancer in the subject or the stratified risk of ovarian cancer for the subject, optionally by stage of cancer.
14. The method of claim 7, wherein the sample is taken from a subject selected from the group consisting of subjects who are symptomatic for ovarian cancer and subjects who are at high risk for ovarian cancer.
15. The method of claim 7, wherein the method has a sensitivity of at least about 85 percent and a specificity of at least about 85 percent.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensitivity and specificity are determined for a population of women who are symptomatic for ovarian cancer and have ovarian cancer as compared with a control group of women who are symptomatic for ovarian cancer but who do not have ovarian cancer.
17. A predictive or diagnostic model based on levels of the panels of biomarkers of claim 1.
18. A multianalyte panel assay comprising the set of reagents of claim 1.
19. A method to assess the therapeutic efficacy of a cancer treatment, comprising:
comparing the biomarker profiles in specimens taken from a subject before and after the treatment or during the course of treatment with a set of reagents according to claim 1, wherein a change in the biomarker profile over time toward a non-cancer profile or to a stable profile is interpreted as efficacy.
20. A method for determining whether a subject potentially is developing cancer, comprising:
comparing the biomarker profiles in specimens taken from a subject at two or more points in time with a set of reagents according to claim 1, wherein a change in the biomarker profile toward a cancer profile, is interpreted as a progression toward developing cancer.

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 mining machine comprising:
a shearing head mounted on a moveable carriage, said shearing head being for mining product from a scam as said moveable carriage traverses from aide-to-side across a mining face of said seam on rail means which extend from side-to-side across the seam
at least 2D co-ordinate position determining means carried entirely by one of the movable carriage and the rail means for determining the absolute co-ordinate position in space of one the movable carriage and the rail means at each of a plurality of locations along the rail means, said position determining means providing current absolute co-ordinate position outputdata signals therefrom;
processing means connected to receive the output data signals and to generate and to generated further signals to control rail moving means associated with said machine, so said rail moving means will attempt to displace a trailing part of said rail means a distance towards said seam based on the determined current absolute co-ordinate position of that part of the rail means as distinct from an expected co-ordinate position, to assume a co-ordinate position of an intended profile for the next pass, said processing means operating with said rail moving means at various locations along the length of the rail means, so that on the next pass of said moveable carriage, said shearing head will attempt to cut to the intended profile.
2. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the intended profile is a straight line in a generally horizontally extending plane.
3. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processing means includes memory means for storing electrical data signals of the 2D co-ordinates provided by said co-ordinate position determining means at each of said plurality of locations.
4. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said data signals are useable by said processing means to calculate the required distance of movement of the rail means at various locations.
5. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said co-ordinate position determining means provides 3D coordinate position signals in each of the X, Y and Z planes.
6. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said processing means stores a horizon profile of either or both the up or down locations of the shearing head at locations along the rail means, so that on a next pass said shearing head can be predictably controlled by shearing head position control means to be moved to positions which cause said shearing bead to traverse a predicted horizon profile determined from a previous pass, whereby the shearing head can move to predicted folds or contours of the seam.
7. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rail moving means is a series of independently moveable moving means spaced apart along the length of said rail means and wherein each is connected at one end to a respective mine roof support means, each roof support means providing fixed positions for the one ends of each moving means when supporting a mine roof, and wherein the other ends of said moving means are connected to said rail means, so that when the other ends of said moving means are moved away from said roof support means the rail means can be moved forwardly towards said seam.
8. A mining machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein each of said moving means is independently moveably so that when said rail means has been moved forwardly by said moving means, and a respective mine roof support means released from supporting said mine roof, the respective roof support means can be displaced forwardly towards said rail means by said moving means and wherein said rail means then provides fixed positions for the other ends of each moving means.
9. A mining machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein said processing means determines the amount of forward movement of said roof support means so that at completion of a pass of said mining machine along said rail means there is a substantially straight line wall across the seam, and so all the roof support means will then be inline with said line being substantially parallel with said rail means.
10. A mining machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said co-ordinate position determining means is carried at a fixed point on said mining machine, and the current position of the rail means is related to the position of the fixed point.
11. A method of controlling a mining machine having a moveable carriage carrying a shearing head so said shearing head will cut to an intended profile, said method comprising:
mounting said carriage on rail means so said carriage will be able to traverse from side-to-side across a seam to be mined;
providing a co-ordinate position determining means mounted entirely on one of said rail means and said movable carriage;
generating with the position determining means position signals of the current absolute 2D co-ordinate position in space one of said rail means and said movable carriage at each of plurality of locations along the rail means to processing means as said machine passes from side-to-aide across the seam;
generating output signals processed from said position signals to control rail moving means, effecting operation of said rail moving means so a trailing part of said rail means will be displaced a distance forwardly toward said seam based on the current co-ordinate position of the rail means or said movable carriage as distinct from an expected co-ordinate position, operating said rail moving means at various positions along the length of the rail means so said rail means will attempt to be in said intended profile so that on a next pass of said moveable carriage said shearing head will attempt to cur the intended profile.
12. A method as claimed in claim 11 including storing electrical data signals of the co-ordinates at each of the plurality of locations.
13. A method as claimed in claim 11 including calculating the required distance of displacement of the trailing part of the rail means in processing means based on the co-ordinate position of the rail means at each particular location.
14. A method as claimed in claim 11 including providing said position signals as 3D co-ordinate position signals in each of the X, Y, Z planes.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said 3D co-ordinate position signals are stored to obtain 3 Dimensional stored profile of the seam.
16. A method as claimed in claim 11 including storing a horizon profile of either or both the up or down locations of the shearing head at locations along the rail means, and on a next pass, predictably controlling said shearing head to traverse a predicted horizon determined from a previous pass, thereby causing the shearing head to move to predicted folds or contours of the seam.
17. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said rail means is moved so there is a substantially straight line wall across the seam after a pass and wherein the rail means is substantially parallel to the straight line wall.
18. A method as claimed in claim 11 including determining the co-ordinate positions by positioning means carried at a fixed point on said mining machine.
19. A method as claimed in claim 11 including determining a distance of movement \u201cAn\u201d of the rail means by processing signals of the co-ordinate positions according to the following relationship
An=|Yn\u2212Xn|

Where Yn=a vector described by the co-ordinates of the position, relative to an origin, after movement
And Xn=a vector described by the co-ordinates of the position, relative to an origin, before movement

And wherein Xn=Xn\u22121+\u0394X<\u03b8n, and wherein \u0394X<\u03b8n is a vector expressed in polar form.
20. A method as claimed in claim 11 including processing said position signals to provide said output signals for said rail moving means by a processor remote from said machine.

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for sensing conveyed objects, the apparatus comprising:
a conveyor for conveying objects in a first direction along a conveyed path; and,
a photosensor positioned adjacent the conveyor to emit a beam of light from the photosensor in a second direction across the conveyed path, the second direction being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the conveyor is configured for conveying objects in a single file line.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the conveyor is configured for conveying objects that have a triangular cross-section.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the oblique angle is substantially a 60 degree angle.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the photosensor is one of a pair of photosensors that are each positioned adjacent the conveyor to emit a beam of light across the conveyed path with a first of the photosensors emitting the beam of light in the second direction and a second of the photosensors emitting a beam of light in a third direction, the third direction being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:
the first and second photosensors are positioned where the second direction and third direction are oriented at an oblique angle.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:
the oblique angle is substantially a 60 degree angle.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
the conveyor has a conveying surface that supports the objects conveyed along the conveyed path.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:
a pair of parallel rails extend along the conveyed path on opposite sides of the conveying surface.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:
the photosensor is mounted on one of the rails.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
a gate is positioned adjacent the conveyed path and is moveable between first and second positions relative to the conveyor where in the first position the gate is oriented parallel with the first direction and in the second position the gate is oriented at an angle relative to the first direction; and
a restriction is positioned adjacent the conveyed path on an opposite side of the conveyed path from the gate.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the restriction is an elongate panel that extends over the conveyed path
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the conveyor is configured for conveying objects in a single file line.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:
the conveyor is configured for conveying objects that have a triangular cross section.
15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the photosensor is one of a pair of photosensors that are each positioned adjacent the conveyor to emit a beam of light across the conveyed path with a first of the photosensors emitting the beam of light in the second direction and a second of the photosensors emitting a beam of light in a third direction, the third direction being oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:
the first and second photosensors are positioned where the second direction and third direction are oriented at an oblique angle.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:
the oblique angle is substantially a 60 degree angle.
18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
the conveyor has a conveying surface that supports the objects conveyed along the conveyed path.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:
a pair of parallel rails extend along the conveyed path on opposite sides of the conveying surface.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:
the photosensor is mounted on one of the rails.
21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:
a pair of guide rails extend along opposite sides of the conveyed path, the restriction is connected to one of the guide rails giving the conveyed path a reduced width; and,
a row former is positioned adjacent the infeed conveyor, the row former has pusher arms that are aligned with the infeed conveyor guide rails and the pusher arms have a width between an opposed pair of pusher arms that is larger than the reduced width of the conveyed path.
22. A method of sensing conveyed objects having a triangular cross section, the method comprising:
conveying the objects in a single file line in a first direction with at least some of the objects abutting each other;
positioning a photosensor adjacent the conveyed line of objects to emit a beam of light from the photosensor in a second direction that is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
positioning the photosensor where the oblique angle is substantially a 60 degree angle.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
conveying the objects on a conveying surface between a pair of parallel rails extending along opposite sides of the conveying surface.
25. The method of claim 22, further comprising: positioning a second photosensor adjacent the conveyed line of objects to emit a beam of light from the second photosensor in a third direction that is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first direction.
26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:
positioning the photosensor and the second photosensor where the second and third directions are oriented at an oblique angle to each other.

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 networked computer system configured for commerce in chemical products, the system comprising:
a server configured to exchange data with a plurality of client computers;
a database operatively coupled to the server and storing chemical product data for a plurality of chemical products;
a memory operatively coupled to the server and comprising instructions to configure the server to:
receive a request comprising a product identifier from a first one of the plurality of client computers,
query the database in response to the received request to retrieve chemical product data comprising a starting point formulation and chemical characteristics inherent to the starting point formulation,
send the product information to the first client computer,
receive a purchase order comprising a request to purchase a product identified by the product identifier and target characteristics input by a user,
modify the starting point formulation based on the target characteristics input by the user, and
process the purchase order, wherein the purchase order comprises an order for purchase of a chemical product formulated in accordance with said modified starting point formulation.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the sent chemical product data further comprises data selected from the group consisting of material safety data, chemical property data, processing data, and product manufacturing data.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sent chemical product data further comprises testing result data stored in the database in response to a sample testing request.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the product information comprises testing result data.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein the database further comprises user access permission information and the memory further comprises instructions to query the database to validate access by a user of the first computer, and the instructions to send the product information comprise instruction to send only if access by the first user is validated.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the memory comprises a disk storage media configured as an integral component of the server.
7. A method for processing a chemical product transaction, the method comprising:
receiving at a server computer from a first one of a plurality of client computers a request identifying a chemical product,
querying a database in response to the received request to retrieve chemical product data comprising a starting point formulation and chemical characteristics inherent to the starting point formulation,
sending the chemical product data to the first client computer,
modifying the starting point formulation based on the target characteristics input by the user,
receiving a purchase order comprising a request to purchase the chemical product,
processing the purchase order, said purchase order comprising an order for purchase by the user of a chemical product formulated in accordance with said modified starting point formulation.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the chemical product data further comprises data selected from the group consisting of material safety data, chemical property data, processing data, and product manufacturing data.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein the chemical product data further comprises testing result data stored in the database in response to a sample testing request.