Author: claimsbot

1. A method of comparing nucleic acid sequences, comprising:
providing a nucleic acid sequence obtained from a sample and including at least one homopolymer region;
collapsing each of the homopolymer regions to a single nucleotide to form a representative sample sequence without homopolymer regions; and
comparing the representative sample sequence to at least one of a plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences without homopolymer regions to determine whether the representative sample sequence matches one of the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of collapsing and comparing include the use of indexes and a binary search to determine whether the representative sample sequence matches one of the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the representative sample sequence and each of the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences are of the same length.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the representative sample sequence and each of the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences are between about 15 and about 100 nucleotides in length.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences together are representative of substantially all genomic DNA in an organism.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences comprises a genomic DNA sequence.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of reference nucleic acid sequences comprises a cDNA or RNA sequence.
8. A method of comparing nucleic acid sequences, comprising:
providing a nucleic acid sequence obtained from a sample and including at least one homopolymer region;
collapsing each of the homopolymer regions to a single nucleotide to form a representative sample sequence without homopolymer regions;
comparing the representative sample sequence to one or more members of a database of reference nucleic acid sequences without homopolymer regions to determine whether the representative sample sequence matches one of the reference nucleic acid sequences, at least one of the reference nucleic acid sequences created by collapsing at least one homopolymer region to a single nucleotide, the database comprising information that is related to the at least one reference nucleic acid sequence and that is indicative of one or more corresponding nucleic acid sequences in which no homopolymer region was collapsed;
identifying one of the reference nucleic acid sequences in the database that matches the representative sample sequence;
identifying, for the identified reference nucleic acid sequence and based on any related and indicative information for the identified reference nucleic acid sequence, any one or more corresponding nucleic acid sequences in which no homopolymer region was collapsed; and
determining which of the identified corresponding nucleic acid sequences matches the nucleic acid sequence obtained from the sample.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein:
the nucleic acid sequence obtained from the sample comprises an observed DNA sequencing output; and
the determining step comprises calculating a probability of obtaining the observed DNA sequencing output for each of the identified corresponding nucleic acid sequences.
10. A method of matching nucleic acid sequences, comprising:
sequencing a nucleic acid from a patient;
collapsing each homopolymer region of the patient nucleic acid sequence to a single nucleotide to form a representative sample sequence; and
determining whether the representative sample sequence matches a member of a database of reference nucleic acid sequences without homopolymer regions, at least one of the reference nucleic acid sequences created by collapsing at least one homopolymer region to a single nucleotide, at least some of the reference nucleic acid sequences being indicative of a diagnosis, prognosis, or indication for a course of treatment of the patient.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the steps of collapsing and determining include the use of indexes and a binary search to determine whether the representative sample sequence matches a member of the database of reference nucleic acid sequences.
12. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of sequence representations, each of the sequence representations comprising a unique nucleic acid sequence without a homopolymer region, at least one of the sequence representations created by collapsing at least one homopolymer region to a single nucleotide.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein each unique nucleic acid sequence comprises the same number of nucleotides.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein each nucleic acid sequence is between about 15 and about 100 nucleotides in length.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer-readable medium stores more than one million sequence representations.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the unique nucleic acid sequences are genomic DNA sequences.
17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the unique nucleic acid sequences are cDNA or RNA sequences.
18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein a nucleic acid sequence obtained from a sample can be compared against at least some of the plurality of sequence representations.

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 circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current from one of a first and a second wire connected to the power source, comprising:
a sensing conductor located adjacent to one of the first and second wires for sensing a leakage current from one of the first and second wires;
a disconnect switch interposed within the first and second wires connected to the power source;
said disconnect switch having a disconnect switch solenoid coil for opening said disconnect switch;
a threshold conduction device being conductive upon a threshold voltage applied to the threshold conduction device;
a connector connecting said disconnect switch solenoid coil in series with said threshold conduction device between one of the first and second wires and said sensing conductor; and
a threshold voltage generator comprising a capacitor connected in series with a diode between said sensing conductor and one of the first and second wires for charging said capacitor for generating said threshold voltage for said threshold conduction device upon a leakage current flow between said sensing conductor and one of the first and second wires and through said threshold voltage generator.
2. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensing conductor comprises a first and a second shield sensing conductor located about the first and second wires.
3. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensing conductor comprises a shield sensing conductor located about both of the first and second wires.
4. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said disconnect switch includes a normally open solenoid operated switch;
a mechanical latch mechanism for maintaining said disconnect switch in a closed condition and
said disconnect switch solenoid coil operating a plunger for disengaging said mechanical latch mechanism for opening said disconnect switch.
5. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said threshold conduction device includes a thyristor.
6. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said threshold conduction device includes a silicon, control rectifier (SCR).
7. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said threshold conduction device includes a silicon control rectifier (SCR) with a Zener diode connected to a gate of said silicon control rectifier (SCR).
8. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said threshold conduction device is a Diode For Alternating Current (DIAC).
9. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 1, wherein said threshold conduction device is a Silicon Diode For Alternating Current (SIDAC).
10. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current from one of a first and a second wire connected to the power source, comprising:
a sensing conductor located adjacent to one of the first and second wires for sensing a leakage current from one of the first and second wires;
a disconnect switch interposed within the first and second wires connected to the power source;
said disconnect switch having a disconnect switch solenoid coil for opening said disconnect switch;
a divider circuit interconnected between the first and second wires for providing a divider node;
a threshold conduction device being conductive upon a threshold voltage applied to the threshold conduction device;
a connector connecting said disconnect switch solenoid coil in series with said threshold conduction device between said divider node and said sensing conductor; and
a capacitor connected between said divider node and said sensing conductor to provide said threshold voltage to said threshold conduction device upon a leakage current flow between said sensing conductor and one of the first and second wires.
11. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said divider circuit includes a diode divider circuit.
12. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 11, wherein said divider circuit includes a resistive divider circuit.
13. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said divider circuit provides a voltage node.
14. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said capacitor is connected between said divider node and said sensing conductor and in parallel with said threshold conduction device.
15. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said threshold conduction device includes a silicon control rectifier (SCR).
16. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said threshold conduction device is a Diode For Alternating Current (DIAC).
17. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said threshold conduction device is a Silicon Diode For Alternating Current (SIDAC).
18. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said threshold conduction device comprises a thyristor connected in series with said disconnect switch solenoid coil between and said divider node and said sensing conductor; and
a breakdown voltage conduction device connected for actuating said thyristor upon said capacitor providing a breakdown voltage to said breakdown voltage conduction device.
19. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current as set forth in claim 10, wherein said threshold conduction device comprises a thyristor connected in series with said disconnect switch solenoid coil and said divider node and said sensing conductor; and
a Zener diode connected to a gate of said thyristor for actuating said thyristor upon said capacitor providing a breakdown voltage to said Zener diode.
20. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current from one of a first and a second wire connected to the power source, comprising:
a sensing conductor located adjacent to one of the first and second wires for sensing a leakage current from one of the first and second wires;
a disconnect switch interposed within the first and second wires connected to the power source;
said disconnect switch having a disconnect switch solenoid coil for opening said disconnect switch;
a threshold conduction device being conductive upon a threshold voltage applied to the threshold conduction device;
a connector connecting said disconnect switch solenoid coil in series with said threshold conduction device between said divider node and said sensing conductor; and
a capacitor connected between said sensing conductor and one of the first and second wires for charging said capacitor with a leakage current flow between said sensing conductor and one of the first and second wires to provide said threshold voltage generator to said threshold conduction device.
21. A circuit for disconnecting a power source upon the detection of a leakage current from a wire connected to the power source, comprising:
a sensing conductor located adjacent to the wire for sensing a leakage current from the wire;
a disconnect switch interposed within the wire connected to the power source; and
a disconnect switch control circuit comprising a capacitor connected to said sensing conductor for opening said disconnect switch upon said capacitor accumulating a predetermined amount of the leakage current from said sensing conductor.

1. A method for the preparation of a powder containing perfuming or flavoring microcapsules having an St-1 dust hazard explosive classification, which comprises providing an explosion suppressant selected from the group consisting of C1-C12 carboxylic acids, salts of C1-C12 carboxylic acids and mixtures thereof in the powder by (a) adding the explosion suppressant to an aqueous emulsion of the perfuming or flavoring ingredient in a polymeric carrier comprising a starch, and spray-drying the obtained emulsion to form the powder; or (b) spray-drying an aqueous emulsion of a perfuming or flavoring ingredient in a polymeric carrier comprising a starch, and dry blending the spray-dried powder obtained with the explosion suppressant; or (c) impregnating the carrier material with the perfuming or flavoring ingredient and coating the impregnated carrier material with the explosion suppressant wherein the explosion suppressant is present in an amount of from 0.5 to 80% by weight relative to the total weight of the microcapsules and wherein the at least one perfuming ingredient is present in an amount of from 5 to 70% by weight relative to the total weight of the microcapsules.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acids or their salts are hydroxy- or ceto-functionalized hydrocarbon carboxylic acids or their salts.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acids or their salts are di-, tri-, or multi carboxylic acids or their salts.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acid andor their salts are selected from C2-C6 carboxylic acids or their salts.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, hydroxysuccinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, oxylic acid, glyoxylic acid, adipic acid, lactic acid, tartric acid, salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, the potassium, calcium or sodium salts of any of the afore-mentioned acids, and mixtures of any of these.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the carboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, succinic acid, hydroxysuccinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, oxylic acid, glyoxylic acid, adipic acid, lactic acid, lactic acid, tartric acid, salicylic acid, ascorbic acid the potassium, calcium or sodium salts of any of the afore-mentioned acids, and mixtures of any of these.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the explosion suppressant is potassium citrate.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the starch comprises maltodextrin.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the explosion suppressant is present in an amount of from 2 to 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the microcapsules.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the explosion suppressant is present in an amount of from 2 to 10% by weight relative to the total weight of the microcapsules.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one perfuming ingredient is present in an amount of from 15 to 60% by weight relative to the total weight of the microcapsules.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the perfume ingredient is present in an amount of from 20 to 45% by weight relative to the total weight of the microcapsules.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the explosion suppressant is provided in the powder by adding the explosion suppressant to an aqueous emulsion of the perfuming or flavoring ingredient in a polymeric carrier comprising a starch, and spray-drying the obtained emulsion to form the powder.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the explosion suppressant is provided in the powder by spray-drying an aqueous emulsion of a perfuming or flavoring ingredient in a polymeric carrier comprising a starch, and dry blending the spray-dried powder obtained with the explosion suppressant.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the explosion suppressant is provided in the powder by impregnating the carrier material with the perfuming or flavoring ingredient and coating the impregnated carrier material with the explosion suppressant.
16. The method of claim 1, which further comprises incorporating a perfuming effective amount of the powder in a product selected from the group consisting of a perfume, a cologne, an after-shave lotion, a soap, a bath or shower gel, a deodorant, a body lotion, a shampoo or another hair-care product, a detergent, a fabric softener, a household cleaner and a cleaning and deodorizing block for toilet tanks.
17. The method of claim 1, which further comprises incorporating a flavor effective amount of the powder in a food, beverage or pharmaceutical product.

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 phase difference layer laminated body characterized by having a base material having orientability, and a phase difference layer made of a liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase and formed in a pattern on said base material such as to have refractive index anisotropy.
2. The phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 1, wherein
said liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase is obtained by polymerization of at least one of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer, a polymerizable liquid crystal oligomer, and a polymerizable liquid crystal polymer.
3. The phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 1, wherein
said liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase is obtained by polymerization of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer.
4. The phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 1, wherein
said base material having orientability is obtained by forming an oriented film on a transparent substrate.
5. The phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 4, wherein
said oriented film is formed in a pattern with portions that are oriented in at least two different directions, and wherein said liquid crystal material on said oriented film has refractive index anisotropy that conforms to the plurality of directions of orientation of said oriented film.
6. The phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 1, wherein
said base material having orientability is a stretched film.
7. A method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body characterized by having:
a base material preparation step of preparing a base material;
an application step of applying a refractive index anisotropic material having an ability of providing refractive index anisotropy on said base material for forming a refractive index anisotropic material layer;
an orientation processing step of performing orientation processing to said refractive index anisotropic material layer;
an orientation fixing step of fixing the orientation of said refractive index anisotropic material layer that has undergone the orientation processing in said orientation processing step; and
a patterning step of giving a pattern to said refractive index anisotropic material layer.
8. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 7, wherein
said base material is a base material having orientability, said refractive index anisotropic material is a liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase, and said orientation processing step is a step of maintaining said refractive index anisotropic material layer in a temperature at which said liquid crystal material transforms into a liquid crystal phase.
9. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 8, wherein
said liquid crystal material is a material having at least one of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer, a polymerizable liquid crystal oligomer, and a polymerizable liquid crystal polymer, and wherein said orientation fixing step is a step of irradiating, with an activating radiation beam, said material having at least one of the polymerizable liquid crystal monomer, the polymerizable liquid crystal oligomer, and the polymerizable liquid crystal polymer for polymerization thereof.
10. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 8, wherein
said liquid crystal material is a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer.
11. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 9, wherein
said activating radiation beam irradiation step is a step of irradiating the material with the activating radiation beam in a pattern, and wherein the method further comprises a development step of developing unpolymerized portions of the liquid crystal material, after said step of irradiating the material with the activating radiation beam in the pattern.
12. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 8, wherein
said base material having orientability is obtained by forming an oriented film on a transparent substrate.
13. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 11, wherein
said base material having orientability is obtained by forming an oriented film on a transparent substrate.
14. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 12, wherein
said oriented film is formed in a pattern with portions that are oriented in at least two different directions, and wherein said liquid crystal material on said oriented film has refractive index anisotropy that conforms to the plurality of directions of orientation of said oriented film.
15. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 13, wherein
said oriented film is formed in a pattern with portions that are oriented in at least two different directions, and wherein said liquid crystal material on said oriented film has refractive index anisotropy that conforms to the plurality of directions of orientation of said oriented film.
16. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 8, wherein
said base material having orientability is a stretched film.
17. The method for manufacturing a phase difference layer laminated body according to claim 11, wherein
said base material having orientability is a stretched film.
18. A liquid crystal display device characterized by using a phase difference layer laminated body comprising a base material having orientability, and a phase difference layer made of a liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase and formed in a pattern on said base material such as to have refractive index anisotropy.
19. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 18, wherein
the liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase of said phase difference layer laminated body is obtained by polymerization of at least one of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer, a polymerizable liquid crystal oligomer, and a polymerizable liquid crystal polymer.
20. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 18, wherein
the liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase of said phase difference layer laminated body is obtained by polymerization of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer.
21. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 18, wherein
the base material having orientability of said phase difference layer laminated body is obtained by forming an oriented film on a transparent substrate.
22. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 21, wherein
the oriented film of said phase difference layer laminated body is formed in a pattern with portions that are oriented in at least two different directions, and wherein said liquid crystal material on said oriented film has refractive index anisotropy that conforms to the plurality of directions of orientation of said oriented film.
23. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 18, wherein
the base material having orientability of said phase difference layer laminated body is a stretched film.
24. A liquid crystal display device comprising:
a liquid crystal display element including a liquid crystal layer and comprising a plurality of unit cells that constitute a multiplicity of pixels, liquid crystal molecules on a surface of said liquid crystal layer being orientable in directions of a plurality of different directors in each of said unit cells; and
a phase difference optical element arranged at least on one side in a thickness direction of said liquid crystal display element, the phase difference optical element being divided into a plurality of oriented compensation regions in accordance with the directions of the directors for said liquid crystal molecules in said each unit cell, liquid crystal substance being oriented and fixed in each of said oriented compensation regions.
25. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 24, wherein
said each unit cell of said liquid crystal display element is divided into a plurality of oriented display regions, the liquid crystal molecules on the surface of said liquid crystal layer being oriented in different directions of directors for each of said oriented display regions, and wherein said oriented compensation regions are formed in said phase difference optical element corresponding to said oriented display regions.
26. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 25, wherein
a plurality of said oriented compensation region is formed in said phase difference optical element relative to one said oriented display region of said unit cell.
27. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 25 wherein
the oriented display regions of said liquid crystal display element are formed in such a manner as to divide said each unit cell into four or more sections with an equal angular spacing around a center of said each unit cell.
28. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 24, wherein
the liquid crystal molecules on the surface of said liquid crystal layer of said liquid crystal display element are oriented with the directors in symmetric directions relative to respective centers of the unit cells.
29. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 27, wherein
the oriented compensation regions of said phase difference optical element are formed in such a manner as to divide said each unit cell into four or more sections with an equal angular spacing around respective centers of the unit cells.
30. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 28, wherein
the oriented compensation regions of said phase difference optical element are formed in such a manner as to divide said each unit cell into four or more sections with an equal angular spacing around a center of said each unit cell.
31. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 29, wherein
a pair of 180 opposite oriented compensation regions relative to the center of said each unit cell of said phase difference optical element are oriented in the same direction.
32. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 24, wherein
said liquid crystal display element is driven by a method of one of TN type, STN type, VA type, MVA type, PVA type, IPS type, OCB type, and ECB type.
33. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 24, wherein
said phase difference optical element comprises a base material having orientability, and a phase difference layer made of a liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase and formed in a pattern on said base material such as to have refractive index anisotropy.
34. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 33, wherein
the liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase of said phase difference layer laminated body is obtained by polymerization of at least one of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer, a polymerizable liquid crystal oligomer, and a polymerizable liquid crystal polymer.
35. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 33, wherein
the liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase of said phase difference layer laminated body is obtained by polymerization of a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer.
36. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 33, wherein
the base material having orientability of said phase difference layer laminated body is obtained by forming an oriented film on a transparent substrate.
37. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 36, wherein
the oriented film of said phase difference layer laminated body is formed in a pattern with portions that are oriented in at least two different directions, and wherein said liquid crystal material on said oriented film has refractive index anisotropy that conforms to the plurality of directions of orientation of said oriented film.
38. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 33, wherein
the base material having orientability of said phase difference layer laminated body is a stretched film.