Abstract: A mass spectrometer system (10) is provided in which the voltage controller (12) can have separate first and second high-voltage control circuits (34, 40) which are physically disconnected from and at different ground planes to one another. Communication between the first and second high-voltage control circuits (34, 40) is enabled via an interface circuit (30) and one or more wireless, preferably radio-frequency, communicators (38, 44, 46, 48).

Abstract: A mass spectrometer system (10) is provided in which the voltage controller (12) can have separate first and second high-voltage control circuits (34, 40) which are physically disconnected from and at different ground planes to one another. Communication between the first and second high-voltage control circuits (34, 40) is enabled via an interface circuit (30) and one or more wireless, preferably radio-frequency, communicators (38, 44, 46, 48).

Abstract: A valve device includes a body portion having a plurality of openings, a valve seat located within said body portion, an end stop, corresponding to an opening of said body portion, said end stop comprising a port portion through which fluid may flow, and a nozzle, in fluid communication with said port portion, said nozzle configured for sealing against said valve seat and thereby preventing flow through the valve device, the valve device being openable by relative motion of said nozzle with respect to said valve seat, and adjustment means configured to allow independent adjustment of the location of said nozzle with respect to said valve seat.

Abstract: A content delivery network transcodes content objects from a content provider for transmission to end users. The content delivery network includes network storage and servers. When a content object is uploaded, the network storage stores a copy of the content object, and a copy of the content object is directed to external file-based storage. At least one of the servers directs segments of the content object to a plurality of transcoding servers. Each of the transcoding servers informs a segment engine about which of the segments the transcoding server has received, transcodes the received segment to form a transcoded segment receivable by at least one of the end users, and transmits the transcoded segment to a permanent storage location. The content delivery network verifies that the copy of the content object is stored in the external file-based storage, and deletes the local copy of the content object.

Abstract: A valve device (1) comprising; a body portion (2) having a plurality of openings, a valve seat (6) located within said body portion (2), an end stop (4,8), corresponding to an opening of said body portion (2), said end stop (4,8) comprising a port portion (38,39) through which fluid may flow, and a nozzle (33,35), in fluid communication with said port portion (38,39), said nozzle (33,35) configured for sealing against said valve seat (6) and thereby preventing flow through the valve device (1), the valve device (1) being openable by relative motion of said nozzle (33,35) with respect to said valve seat (6), and adjustment means configured to allow independent adjustment of the location of said nozzle (33,35) with respect to said valve seat (6).

Abstract: A machine-implementable method for managing cloud-based transcoding resources available to a content delivery network includes maintaining a queue of video transcoding jobs that may be executed by internal transcoders of the content delivery network or by external transcoders of a plurality of cloud-based resources, utilizing a server of the content delivery network. The method further includes determining, at first and second times, corresponding first and second transcoder supply deviations, and a trend indicator; and determining whether to activate, deactivate, or make no change to the number of transcoders that are currently activated for transcoding, based at least on the second transcoder supply deviation and the trend indicator.

Abstract: A method and system for performing processing tasks is disclosed. At a resource, a detection is made as to when the resource is available to perform a processing task. Usage of the resource for performing processing tasks associated with each client of a set of clients is monitored. A restriction limiting which processing task is to be assigned to the resource is identified. The restriction identifies a hierarchy amongst at least two clients of the set of clients. The hierarchy is based on the monitored usage. A query identifying the restriction is generated. The query is transmitted to a remote queue in communication with a plurality of independent resources. The plurality of independent resources includes the resource. A response is received from the queue. The response identifies a processing task.

Abstract: A method and system for performing processing tasks is disclosed. At a resource, a detection is made as to when the resource is available to perform a processing task. Usage of the resource for performing processing tasks associated with each client of a set of clients is monitored. A restriction limiting which processing task is to be assigned to the resource is identified. The restriction identifies a hierarchy amongst at least two clients of the set of clients. The hierarchy is based on the monitored usage. A query identifying the restriction is generated. The query is transmitted to a remote queue in communication with a plurality of independent resources. The plurality of independent resources includes the resource. A response is received from the queue. The response identifies a processing task.

Abstract: A valve device (1) comprising; a body portion (2) having a plurality of openings, a valve seat (6) located within said body portion (2), an end stop (4,8), corresponding to an opening of said body portion (2), said end stop (4,8) comprising a port portion (38,39) through which fluid may flow, and a nozzle (33,35), in fluid communication with said port portion (38,39), said nozzle (33,35) configured for sealing against said valve seat (6) and thereby preventing flow through the valve device (1), the valve device (1) being openable by relative motion of said nozzle (33,35) with respect to said valve seat (6), and adjustment means configured to allow independent adjustment of the location of said nozzle (33,35) with respect to said valve seat (6).