Agilent Technologies

About: Agilent Technologies is a company organization based out in Santa Clara, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Signal & Mass spectrometry. The organization has 7398 authors who have published 11518 publications receiving 262410 citations. The organization is also known as: Agilent Technologies, Inc..

Single-scan interferometric component analyzer

Abstract: We describe a novel interferometric method for characterizing optical components in the 1.5-/spl mu/m communications band. A complete polarization-resolved characterization of optical components is achieved with just one scan of a tunable laser. Measurements of three devices are presented, including a molecular gas cell, an arrayed waveguide grating, and a tunable dispersion compensator. A dynamic range of greater than 80 dB is demonstrated.

Planar lightwave circuit-based optical switches using micromirrors in trenches

Abstract: A planar lightwave circuit (PLC) is formed to include switching elements in which optical coupling among waveguides is determined by positions of displaceable members, such as micromirrors. Each switching element includes at least two light-transmitting waveguides extending along a waveguide substrate to a trench. The optical coupling between the waveguides of a switching element is dependent upon the optical characteristics exhibited at the trench. The displaceable device of a switching element has a transmitting position and a reflecting position. The displaceable device may be manipulated using microelectromechanical system (MEMS) techniques or techniques similar to those used in a dot matrix printer engine. The trench at the crosspoint of waveguides may include a liquid having a refractive index that closely matches the refractive index of the core material of the waveguides. If no index-matching liquid is included at the trench, the walls of the trench are preferably coated with an anti-reflection coating.

Flexible heating cover assembly for thermal cycling of samples of biological material

Abstract: A flexible heating cover assembly for an apparatus for heating samples of biological material with substantial temperature uniformity includes a housing having a plurality of engageable enclosure components; a resistive heater having a plurality of heater element areas; a heater backing plate providing stability to the resistive heater; a force distribution system that distributes a force over the heater backing plate; and a support plate providing stiffness for the force distribution system, wherein the arrangement of the resistive heater, the heater backing plate, the force distribution system and the support plate provide substantial temperature uniformity among a plurality of sample tubes for receiving samples of biological material. The flexible heating cover assembly improves the uniformity, efficiency, quality, reliability and controllability of the thermal response during thermal cycling of the biological material.

Population-Genetic Properties of Differentiated Human Copy-Number Polymorphisms

Abstract: Copy-number variants (CNVs) can reach appreciable frequencies in the human population, and recent discoveries have shown that several of these copy-number polymorphisms (CNPs) are associated with human diseases, including lupus, psoriasis, Crohn disease, and obesity. Despite new advances, significant biases remain in terms of CNP discovery and genotyping. We developed a method based on single-channel intensity data and benchmarked against copy numbers determined from sequencing read depth to successfully obtain CNP genotypes for 1495 CNPs from 487 human DNA samples of diverse ethnic backgrounds. This microarray contained CNPs in segmental duplication-rich regions and insertions of sequences not represented in the reference genome assembly or on standard SNP microarray platforms. We observe that CNPs in segmental duplications are more likely to be population differentiated than CNPs in unique regions (p = 0.015) and that biallelic CNPs show greater stratification when compared to frequency-matched SNPs (p = 0.0026). Although biallelic CNPs show a strong correlation of copy number with flanking SNP genotypes, the majority of multicopy CNPs do not (40% with r > 0.8). We selected a subset of CNPs for further characterization in 1876 additional samples from 62 populations; this revealed striking population-differentiated structural variants in genes of clinical significance such as OCLN, a tight junction protein involved in hepatitis C viral entry. Our microarray design allows these variants to be rapidly tested for disease association and our results suggest that CNPs (especially those that cannot be imputed from SNP genotypes) might have contributed disproportionately to human diversity and selection.

Event-based appointment scheduling adaptive to real-time information

Abstract: A method for augmenting an event-based appointment in an electronic scheduler in real-time includes retrieving an appointment data associated with an appointment. The appointment data includes an event trigger and one or more event actions depending on the event trigger. The method also includes acquiring event-related information based on the event trigger, where the event-related information is capable of determining if the event trigger is satisfied. The method further includes determining if the acquired event-related information satisfies the event trigger; and in response to determining that the event trigger is satisfied, performing the one or more event actions. A portable electronic scheduler suitable to accompany a user of the portable electronic scheduler includes a storage device and a module coupled to the storage device. The storage device is configured to store event information, and the storage device stores data corresponding to an event, wherein the data includes an event trigger and one or more event actions depending on the event trigger. The module is operable to obtain event-related information based on the event trigger, operable to determine if the event trigger is satisfied, and operable to initiate the performance of the one or more event actions in response to determining that the event trigger is satisfied.