Abstract: In an RF quadrupole ion trap having electrodes to which RF voltages are applied, ions having m/z ratios outside of a predefined narrow range of charge-related masses m/z are removed from the trap by applying a DC voltage pulse to at least one of the trap electrodes to remove from the trap the ions with high values of charge-related masses. The DC voltage pulse is preferably applied in combination with a variation of the RF voltage amplitudes to simultaneously remove from the trap ions of low charge-related masses. The DC and RF voltage amplitudes are changed in such a manner that any excitation of ions having charge-related masses within the predefined range by frequency mixtures is avoided.

Abstract: A radio frequency component for use in a mass spectrometer is described. The radio frequency component includes a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes is configured around a central axis to create an ion channel within the plurality of electrodes. In addition, each of the plurality of electrodes is paired with an opposing electrode across the central axis. And, at least one electrode pair has an electrode extension on each electrode. The electrode extension is configured to overlap at least a portion of a proximate electrode of a second radio frequency component.

Abstract: Microorganisms, particularly bacteria, are identified and characterized on the basis of a mass spectrometric measurement of their protein profiles with ionization by matrix-assisted laser desorption. In order to measure the microbial resistance to antibiotics, the protein profiles of microorganisms are measured after cultivation for a short time duration in nutrient media containing the antibiotics.

Abstract: A data system architecture is described that allows multiple processing and storage resources to be connected to multiple clients so as 1) to distribute the clients' workload efficiently across the available resources; and 2) to enable scaleable expansion, both in terms of the number of clients and in the number of resources. The major features of the architecture are separate, modular, client and resource elements that can be added independently, a high-performance cross-bar data switch interconnecting these various elements, separate serial communication paths for controlling the cross-bar switch settings, separate communication paths for passing control information among the various elements and a resource utilization methodology that enables clients to distribute processing or storage tasks across all available resources, thereby eliminating “hot spots” resulting from uneven utilization of those resources.

Abstract: Components of a mixture are separated by feeding charged molecules of the components into a end surface of a suitable medium, for example a gel. The molecules are drawn in a first direction through the medium by means of an DC electric field, while at the same time being subjected to an alternating voltage with a strongly asymmetric profile in a direction transverse to the first direction. The nonlinear behavior of the electrically-generated migration causes a large number of molecules to migrate transversely out of the medium while only a small number of molecules reach the opposite end surface of the medium. A superimposed DC voltage in the transverse direction selects which of the mixture components migrate all the way through the medium in the first direction. The separated components can be sampled from the opposite end surface and from points on the upper and lower medium surfaces.

Abstract: Analyte ions entrained in a carrier gas are analyzed by parallel flow ion mobility spectrometry prior to analysis by a mass analyzer. An extended ion funnel is located in the vacuum system of the mass analyzer and has an ion focusing section and an ion mobility analyzing section. The carrier gas together with entrained ions is introduced into the ion focusing section where the ions are focused to the axis of the funnel by applied RF voltages. In the ion mobility section, the action of an RF quadrupolar field, the movement of the carrier gas and axial DC field, separates the ions on the basis of their mobilities. The mobility separated ions are released into the mass analyzer where the ions may be further separated on the basis of mass.

Abstract: A data system architecture is described that allows multiple processing and storage resources to be connected to multiple clients so as 1) to distribute the clients' workload efficiently across the available resources; and 2) to enable scaleable expansion, both in terms of the number of clients and in the number of resources. The major features of the architecture are separate, modular, client and resource elements that can be added independently, a high-performance cross-bar data switch interconnecting these various elements, separate serial communication paths for controlling the cross-bar switch settings, separate communication paths for passing control information among the various elements and a resource utilization methodology that enables clients to distribute processing or storage tasks across all available resources, thereby eliminating “hot spots” resulting from uneven utilization of those resources.

Abstract: An automated screening device that performs standardized system suitability tests and evaluations and measures components of a submitted sample to assist in the quality control screening of raw materials, ingredients, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, polymers, food products, petroleum and many other materials. After determining the performance suitability of an NMR spectrometer, the system permits samples to be submitted for screening. An NMR spectrum of a sample is acquired and a qualitative analysis unit identifies at least one reference NMR spectrum corresponding a compound present in the sample and a quantitative analysis unit integrates relative signal intensity signals of the sample spectrum in regions of peak intensity in the one reference NMR spectrum and compares integration results to a number of atoms in each region in order to confirm identification of the compound.

Abstract: In a linear ion trap, ions with two polarities are confined radially via an RF potential between the rods comprising the trap. Axially, ions of at least one polarity are confined via DC potentials applied to the elements of the trap or electrodes at the ends of the trap whereas ions of the other polarity are axially confined by a combination of pseudopotentials and/or DC potentials.

Abstract: Each NMR rotor bearing in an NMR magic angle spinning assembly is constructed of a porous ceramic material and has no inlet channels or nozzles. Instead, pressurized gas is forced through pores in the bearing ceramic material from an annular groove at the bearing periphery to the central aperture. Since the pores are small and very numerous, the gas pressure is effectively balanced around the periphery of the central aperture. In addition, if contaminants block one or more pores during operation, the pores are so numerous that the balanced pressure can still be maintained in the central aperture, thereby preventing an imbalance that could destroy the rotor.

Abstract: A small program in a browser that a knowledge worker uses to search for content can be activated when the worker wants to determine available rights for a publication that has been found. When activated, the program accesses a rights advisor website that converts the URL of the publication in the browser to standard publication identifiers. The publication identifiers are then used to access a rights database and extract all rights associated with the publication. Based on selected characteristics of the worker and the organization to which the worker belongs, the rights are filtered and placed into a decision tree. The tree is then traversed from its lowest level upward to locate the most favorable rights and the resulting rights are presented to the worker via the browser.

Abstract: Analyte ions, particularly biopolymer ions, stored in an RF ion trap are ergodically fragmented by bombarding the analyte ions with collision ions, for example medium-mass, mono-atomic ions having a charge of opposite polarity to the charge of the analyte ions. Since the analyte ions are not fragmented by accelerating and/or exciting them to oscillations, as is the case with conventional collision-induced dissociation, the RF voltage of the ion trap can be set low enough that daughter ions with light charge-related masses that are produced by the fragmentation can also remain trapped in the ion trap.

Abstract: The compensation potentials on the compensation electrodes of an ICR measuring cell are sequentially adjusted so that an ICR measurement with the longest possible usable image current transient is produced. Then, subsequent ICR measurements are made using the ICR cell with the optimally adjusted compensation potentials. Depending on the kind of ion mixture involved, measurements with image current transients from 10 to more than 20 seconds long can be performed, from which mass spectra with a maximum mass resolution without peak coalescence can be obtained.

Abstract: In an analytical spectrometer in which accelerated electrons are used to ionize analytes, a non-radioactive electron source uses a gas discharge to generate the electrons. The gas discharge is located in a substantially hermetic source chamber and the free electrons in the plasma of the gas discharge are accelerated in an electric acceleration region towards a partition wall which separates the source chamber from a reaction chamber. The partition wall is permeable to the accelerated electrons but impermeable to gas in the source chamber so that the electrons penetrate the partition wall into the reaction chamber and generate primary ions that chemically ionize the analytes.

Abstract: In an ion mobility spectrometer, ions are generated, mobility-separated and deposited on a receiver, preferably at spatially separated positions by soft landing or crash landing techniques. The ion mobility spectrometer can be a stand-alone instrument or part of a hybrid analysis instrument. To analyze the deposited ions, the receiver is removed from the vacuum system of the ion mobility spectrometer and introduced into an analytical instrument. Various physical, chemical, and biological analysis techniques and instrumentation can be used, such as mass spectrometry or surface analytical techniques, by selecting a special receiver suitable for the desired analytical technique.

Abstract: In a three-dimensional Paul RF ion trap the ring electrode and end cap electrodes are formed from pairs of pole rods. This multipole rod system is then operated as a linear ion trap with a constant field distribution along the multipole rod system. While the system is operating as a linear ion trap, analyte ions are introduced and stored within the linear ion trap. After the ions have been stored, a single-phase RF voltage is supplied to all rods of a middle segment thus forming a three-dimensional ion trap, thereby collecting the ions in a spherical cloud within this middle segment. The collected analyte ions can then be reacted in the three-dimensional ion trap and the product ions resulting from the reactions can be ejected for mass analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for a gas chromatography (GC) system with a check valve. The check valve is situated downstream from the electronic flow control module and upstream of the injector. When a sample is volatized in the injector, the check valve closes into a checked position and prevents solvent and sample from backing into the gas delivery line. In certain embodiments, the check valve has a conical plug that fits into a seat that has an aperture. When the conical plug is depressed, the conical plug engages the sides of the aperture and seals the check valve, preventing solvent and sample from backing through the check valve. In certain embodiments, the change in pressure caused by over-pressurization in the injector, combined with the force applied by a spring on the conical plug, depresses the plug such that it seals the aperture.

Abstract: In a database query operation, a quantum private query (QPQ) protocol allows a user to determine whether the database provider has been trying to obtain information about their query by performing quantum superpositions of different queries in addition to performing normal queries. This means that, in addition to being able to request the jth or the kth records in the database, the user can also request both records in a quantum superposition. To find out whether the database provider is trying to discover her queries, the user sends proper superpositions of queries and then checks the answer provided by the database to determine whether the superposition has been preserved. If superposition has not been preserved, the user can be confident that the database provider has cheated, and has tried to obtain information on the query.

Abstract: The invention relates to acquisition methods for fragment ion spectra of biopolymer molecules in tandem mass spectrometers which are coupled to separation devices. The invention provides a real-time method for calculating a quality coefficient for each fragment ion spectrum. The quality coefficient indicates whether the fragment ion spectrum can be used successfully for identifying the biopolymer molecule or whether it should be acquired once more, possibly with other acquisition parameters.

Abstract: A closed container having a single opening is sealed by a plug fabricated from a self-sealing elastomer. Before insertion, the plug is transfixed with a tube to allow air to escape as the plug is pushed into the container. The plug and tube are then inserted into a container. After the plug has been seated in the container, the tube is withdrawn, allowing the self-sealing elastomeric material to close the canal formed by the tube and to form a hermetic seal.