Abstract: A pre-heater assembly (90) for pre-heating a fluid, in particular in a fluid separation apparatus (10), wherein the pre-heater assembly (90) comprises a capillary (200) having a lumen and being configured for conducting the fluid, and a thermal coupling body (202) contacting at least part of the capillary (200), having a value of the thermal conductivity in a range between 8 W/(m K) and 100 W/(m K) and being arrangable so that heat generated by a heat source (80) is supplied to the capillary (200) via at least part of the thermal coupling body (202).

Abstract: An environmental chamber having an interior compartment, an augmented display, and a controller is disclosed. The interior compartment is adapted for isolating an experimental setup from an environment external to the interior compartment. The augmented display is positioned to allow a user in the external environment to view the interior compartment and an image generated on the augmented display. The controller generates the image. The image includes information about a component within the interior compartment. The augment display can include a touch-enabled display screen that allows the user to interact with controller.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus having a stage adapted to hold a specimen to be imaged and to move the specimen in a first direction, and a light source that includes a tunable laser that generates a light beam having an illumination wavelength that varies as a function of an input signal is disclosed. The apparatus includes an imaging system having a scanning assembly that includes a focusing lens that focuses the light beam to a measurement point on the specimen, a first mirror that moves in a second direction relative to the stage such that the focusing lens maintains a fixed distance between the focusing lens and the stage, and a displacement sensor that measures a distance between the scanning assembly at a mapping point on the specimen, and a light detector that measures an intensity of light leaving the measurement point on the specimen.

Abstract: A rotor is statically or dynamically balanced by driving the rotor to rotate at a desired speed, measuring an imbalance in the rotor, calculating an adjustment to be made in a mass distribution of the rotor based on the measured imbalance, and adjusting the mass distribution to reduce the imbalance. Mass adjustment is done by operating a laser to ablate material from the rotor according to operating parameters based on the adjustment calculated. The foregoing is done while the rotor is rotating.

Abstract: A quadrupole rod assembly includes a plurality of electrically conductive rods, electrically insulating rings coaxially surrounding the rods, and clamping systems. The rods are arranged about a longitudinal axis. The rods and rings have respective surfaces oriented in a transverse plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, which surfaces interface with respective surfaces of the clamping systems that are also oriented in the transverse plane.

Abstract: A solvent supply system for supplying a composite solvent is described. The solvent supply system comprises a first supply flow path with a first pump unit, the first supply flow path being adapted for supplying a flow of a first solvent to a mixing unit, the first pump unit operating periodically, and a second supply flow path with a second pump unit, the second supply flow path being adapted for supplying a flow of a second solvent to the mixing unit, the second pump unit operating periodically. The mixing unit is adapted for mixing the first and the second solvent and for supplying a composite solvent. The solvent supply system further comprises a control unit adapted for controlling operation of the first and the second pump unit, the control unit being adapted to prevent at least one of a predefined phase relation and a predefined frequency relation between the first pump unit and the second pump unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple and rapid method for preparing purified transposase complexes that are highly suited for fragmenting DNA. The method includes forming transposase complexes with oligonucleotide adapters in cell lysate, then purifying the complexes from the other substance in the cell lysate. Purification is accomplished using a specific binding pair, in which one member of the pair is bound to an oligonucleotide adapter of the complex and the other member of the pair is bound to a solid substrate. The bound complexes can be immediately used in DNA fragmentation reactions to produce solid substrate-bound DNA fragments, which can be used for any number of purposes, including as templates for amplification and sequencing.

Abstract: An ion transfer device for transferring ions from one chamber to another, reduced-pressure chamber includes an inlet section and a main capillary section. The inlet section has a lumen and the main capillary section has a bore communicating with the lumen. The inside diameter of the lumen is less than that of the bore. The inlet section may be removable from an installation site separately from the main capillary section. The ion transfer device may be utilized, for example, in an atmospheric-pressure interface of a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A rough vacuum pump system includes a primary vacuum pump and a secondary vacuum pump. The primary vacuum pump is an oil-free positive displacement pump, and has an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a compression stage between the inlet and outlet openings, and an intermediate gas passageway that connects to a gas flow path running through the compression stage. The secondary vacuum pump is connected to the intermediate gas passageway of the primary vacuum pump. The compression ratio of the primary and secondary vacuum pumps operating in combination is greater than that of the compression ratio of either of the primary and secondary vacuum pumps operating individually. A vacuum apparatus includes a tracer gas detector connected to an inlet of the primary vacuum pump.

Abstract: A ferrule includes a body surrounding a bore that provides a fluid path along a central axis between a first end and a second end of the ferrule. The body includes a conical section configured for forming a sealing interface with a fitting in which the ferrule may be inserted and a sealing interface with a tube that may be inserted in the ferrule bore. The conical section includes collapse zones configured to collapse in a direction along the central axis in response to axial compression of the ferrule against the fitting. The collapse zones mitigate crushing of the ferrule against the tube. The collapse zones may be provided by a sealing region at the nose of the ferrule and annular grooves on the ferrule.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods of target enrichment or selection of nucleic acids using hybridization, which can be used in, e.g., next-generation sequencing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating images of specimens is disclosed. The apparatus includes an imaging system, controller, and user interface. The imaging system generates a plurality of component images of a specimen, each component image corresponding to a different viewing condition. Each image is represented by an intensity as a function of location on the specimen. The controller stores the component images and generates a compound image from a plurality of the component images. The compound image includes a weighted sum of first and second ones of the component images, the controller displaying the compound image on a display controlled by the controller. The user interface is adapted to control a weighting factor used in generating the weighted sum in response to user input. The controller redisplays the compound image after the weighting factor is changed in response to user input.

Abstract: A liquid chromatography (LC) column includes a wall having a length along a central axis from the inlet end to the outlet end, the wall enclosing a column interior and having a column radius relative to the central axis, the wall comprising a structured portion configured such that the column radius varies along the length; and a plurality of particles packed in the column interior, wherein at least some of the particles are in contact with the structured portion.

Abstract: A filter for filtering debris out of a fluid flowing along a fluid flow direction in a fluidic member of a sample separation device, the filter comprising a plurality of filter structures stacked along the fluid flow direction and each having pores with defined pore size, wherein the defined pore size of the stacked filter structures decreases along the fluid flow direction.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include methods for double coupling a nucleoside phosphoramidite during synthesis of an oligonucleotide. The method can include coupling a free hydroxyl group of a nucleoside residue with a first sample of a protected nucleoside phosphoramidite via an internucleoside P(III) linkage, followed by exposure to an oxidizing agent prior to a second coupling step with a second sample of the protected nucleoside phosphoramidite, and further exposure to an oxidizing agent. The method finds use in synthesizing an oligonucleotide on a solid phase support, such as a planar surface. The double coupling method can be utilized at one or more nucleotide positions during oligonucleotide synthesis thereby reducing single base deletion rates. Oligonucleotide containing compositions synthesized according to the disclosed methods are also provided.

Abstract: Multiplexed ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), mass spectrometry (MS) such as time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS), or hybrid IM-MS is carried out on a sample, and the resulting measurement data are deconvoluted. A pulse sequence controlling ion pulsing is utilized in conjunction with the multiplexing. The pulse sequence may be modified based on the raw measurement data acquired. A demultiplexing matrix based on the modified pulse sequence is utilized to improve deconvolution.

Abstract: A sealed fluidic component for use in a fluidic flow path is made by providing a composite material comprising a first material and a second material, wherein the first material and the second material are different PAEK materials with the first material having a lower melting point than the second material. The composite material is heated to provide a sealing by the first material.

Abstract: A droplet-based microfluidic device having a first confining plate, a second confining plate, and an actuator. Each confining plate includes a respective substrate and hydrophobic layer having a planar major surface. The first confining plate additionally includes a common electrode between its hydrophobic layer and substrate. The second confining plate includes an electrode array between its hydrophobic layer and substrate. The confining plates are disposed opposite one another with their major surfaces separated from one another by a gap. The actuator is to impart oscillatory sliding motion between the confining plates in a direction principally parallel to the major surfaces. The oscillatory sliding motion effectively allows voltages applied between the common electrode and the electrodes of the electrode array to move a microfluidic droplet located in the gap across the major surfaces without sticking.

Abstract: An apparatus for deriving an operation mode from a first fluidic device to a second fluidic device, wherein the first fluidic device has a first target operation mode representing a desired behavior of the first fluidic device and has a first real operation mode representing the actual behavior of the first fluidic device, wherein the second fluidic device has a second target operation mode representing a desired behavior of the second fluidic device and has a second real operation mode representing the actual behavior of the second fluidic device, the apparatus comprising a first determining unit configured for determining the first real operation mode based on the first target operation mode and based on a preknown parameterization of the first fluidic device, and a second determining unit configured for determining the second target operation mode based on the determined first real operation mode and based on a preknown parameterization of the second fluidic device.