Abstract: Charged droplet spray is formed from a solution with all or a portion of the charged droplet spray current generated from reduction or oxidation (redox) reactions occurring on surfaces removed from the first or sample solution flow path. In one embodiment of the invention, two solution flow channels are separated by a semipermeable membrane. A first or sample solution flowing through the first solution flow channel exchanges cation or anion charged species through the semipermeable membrane with a second solution or gas flowing through the second flow channel. Charge exchange is driven by the electric field applied at the charged droplet sprayer sample solution outlet. Redox reactions occur at an electrode surface in contact with the second solution. The second solution or gas phase composition can be changed as a step function or as a gradient to run pH or conductivity scans in the first solution to optimize or modify Electrospray performance in Electrospray mass spectrometry applications.

Abstract: A method of compressing video data having at least one frame having at least one block and each block having an array of pixels is provided. The method transforms the pixels of each block into coefficients and creates an optimal transmission order of the coefficients. The method also optimizes the speed of processing compressed video data by partitioning the data bitstream and coding each partition independently. The method also predicts fractional pixel motion by selecting an interpolation method for each given plurality or block of pixels depending upon at least one metric related to each given block and varies the method from block to block. The method also enhances error recovery for a current frame using a frame prior to the frame immediately before the current frame as the only reference frame for lessening quality loss during data transmission. Enhanced motion vector coding is also provided.

Abstract: An API source for mass spectrometry which is configured such that all or a portion of its vacuum assembly, including ion focusing and transport electrostatic lenses and ion guides, and two or more vacuum stages can be removed from the source or system vacuum housing as a complete assembly. The API source may be an ES, APCI or ICP source, or any other ion source which operates at substantially atmospheric pressure. The insert assembly can be electrically isolated from the grounded vacuum housing to enable the delivery of kilovolt potential ions into a magnetic sector mass analyzer from the API source. The insert assemblies can be configured to interface to quadrupole, Time-Of-Flight, ion trap, Fourier Transform, and magnetic sector mass analyzers. Electrical connections can be configured internally to make and break automatically when said insert assembly is inserted or removed from the surrounding vacuum housing.

Abstract: A system and method for performing a vision examination includes displaying a series of visual stimuli for observation by a patient and detecting the patient's visual evoked potentials in response to the visual stimuli. Electrical signals representative of the visual evoked potentials for each stimulus of each series of visual stimuli displayed is amplified, converted to digitized data, recorded and measured. The measured visual evoked potential data is then evaluated and compared to certain predetermined values in order to detect whether or not the measured data is reliable. Data outside of predetermined ranges of values is considered faulty data. For example, the measured data is compared to a maximum value of the output of an amplifier used to enhance the electrical signals, to a predetermined value of the Fourier component at 60 Hz; and to certain ranges to determine if the measured data are outside of expected limits. The occurrence of such data outside these ranges is faulty data.

Abstract: A novel setting for holding diamonds in a row in a ring such as an Eternity wedding band, said novel setting having an X structure with apertures formed in the bottom of the setting bridging between the culets of the diamonds with solid structure between the apertures located below each culet. The cross over point of the X structure has a recess to help hold the diamonds in place. Side walls adjacent the diamonds are materially lower than in the prior art and expose significantly more of the diamonds held in the setting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multiplexing plural ion beams to a mass spectrometer. At least two ion sources are provided with means of transporting the ions from the ion sources to separate two-dimensional ion traps. Each ion trap is used for storage and transmission of the ions and operates between the ion sources and the mass analyzer. Each ion trap has a set of equally spaced, parallel multipole rods, as well as entrance and exit sections into which and from which ions enter and exit the trap, respectively. For each ion trap, the entrance section is placed in a region where background gas pressure is at viscous flow. The pressure at the exit section drops to molecular flow pressure regimes without a break in the structure of the ion trap. Each trap alternately stores and transmits ions by way of a fast voltage switch applied to the ion trap exit lens.

Abstract: An improved sample introduction probe is disclosed for the production of ions from liquid sample solutions in an electrospray ion source. Nebulization of a liquid sample emerging from the end of an inner flow tube is pneumatically assisted by gas flowing from the end of an outer gas flow tube essentially coaxial with the inner sample flow tube. The disclosed probe provides for adjustment of the relative axial positions of the ends of the liquid and gas flow tubes without degrading the precise concentricity between the inner and outer tubes. Additionally, the terminal portion of the outer gas flow tube may be fabricated either from a conductive or dielectric material, thereby allowing the pneumatic nebulization and electrospray processes to be optimized separately and independently. Hence, the disclosed invention provides a pneumatically-assisted electrospray probe with improved mechanical and operational stability, reliability, reproducibility, and ease of use compared to prior art probes.

Abstract: A method of compressing video data having at least one frame having at least one block and each block having an array of pixels is provided. The method transforms the pixels of each block into coefficients and creates an optimal transmission order of the coefficients. The method also optimizes the speed of processing compressed video data by partitioning the data bitstream and coding each partition independently. The method also predicts fractional pixel motion by selecting an interpolation method for each given plurality or block of pixels depending upon at least one metric related to each given block and varies the method from block to block. The method also enhances error recovery for a current frame using a frame prior to the frame immediately before the current frame as the only reference frame for lessening quality loss during data transmission. Enhanced motion vector coding is also provided.

Abstract: A method of image and video compression including data re-ordering to improve the performance of the core compression algorithm. In the inventive method, pixel values of at least part of an image are examined and then re-ordered into a new order that has greater compactability than the original pixel order. The re-ordered pixel values are then compressed, e.g., by block transform. In the particular case of a compression scheme employing a block transform, the inventive method reduces the complexity of the transform coefficients, resulting in more efficient compression. The method may be added to existing compression algorithms with only minor modifications to the bitstream and decoder architecture.

Abstract: Atmospheric pressure, intermediate pressure and vacuum laser desorption ionization methods and ion sources are configured to increase ionization efficiency and the efficiency of transmitting ions to a mass to charge analyzer or ion mobility analyzer. An electric field is applied in the region of a sample target to accumulate ions generated from a local ion source on a solid or liquid phase sample prior to applying a laser desorption pulse. The electric field is changed just prior to or during the desorption laser pulse to promote the desorption of charged species and improve the ionization efficiency of desorbed sample species. After a delay, the electric field may be further changed to optimize focusing and transmission of ions into a mass spectrometer or ion mobility analyzer.