Abstract: Provided herein is a method comprising one or more of the following steps: (a) lysing cells of a biological sample and contacting the biological sample with an amount of ionic liquid sufficient to denature intracellular metabolic enzymes in the biological sample to produce a contacted cellular sample; (b) mixing the contacted cellular sample with an organic solvent to produce an ionic liquid-organic solvent composition; (c) mixing the contacted cellular sample with the organic solvent to produce a dispersed microdroplet ionic liquid-organic solvent composition; (d) contacting the ionic liquid-organic solvent composition with an ion exchange composition to produce a second ionic liquid-organic solvent composition; (d) separating the ionic liquid from the organic solvent; and (e) extracting metabolites from the ionic liquid. Kits and systems for practicing the subject methods are also provided.

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: In a vibration damper of a turbomolecular vacuum pump, a vacuum tightness function and a vibration damping function are both performed by one ore more toroidal rings made of an elastic material. The elastic rings assume a resting configuration while the vacuum pump is not operating and the damper is at atmospheric pressure, and they assume a compressed configuration while the vacuum pump is operating and the damper is under vacuum conditions. In the compressed configuration, the elastic rings are deformed due to a compression force. This deformation of the elastic rings prevents metal-to-metal contact between the vacuum pump and a vacuum chamber to which the pump is connected through the damper.

Abstract: A method of operating a data processing system to automatically process a color digital image of a specimen that has been stained with a first dye and a second different dye is disclosed. The method includes receiving a color image that includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel being characterized by a pixel vector having components determined by the intensity of light in each of a corresponding number of wavelength bands. A plurality of pixel vectors of the image are transformed to a hue space divided into a plurality of bins, each bin being characterized by a number of pixels that have been transformed into that bin. The data processing system automatically finds first and second color vectors characterizing the first and second dyes, respectively based on the number of pixels that were transformed into each of the bins.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method comprising: producing a first complex by annealing: a first nucleic acid comprising, in order, a first unique sequence, a first central sequence and a second unique sequence; and a second nucleic acid comprising, in order, said second unique sequence, a second central sequence and a third unique sequence; wherein the first, second and third unique sequences do not hybridize with each other; subjecting said first complex to multiple rounds of primer extension to extend the first and second nucleic acids using each other as a template, thereby producing a first product molecule that contains, in order, the first unique sequence, the first central sequence, the second unique sequence, the second central sequence and the third unique sequence; and circularizing said first product molecule by intramolecularly ligating the ends of said product molecule together. Kits and compositions relating to the method are also provided.

Abstract: An ion guide generates a radio frequency (RF) field to radially confine ions to an ion beam along a guide axis as the ions are transmitted through the ion guide. The effective potential of the RF field includes an alternating series of barriers and wells. Ions may be trapped in individual wells in mass-dependent order, with larger masses trapped closer to a guide exit than smaller masses. The RF field may be scanned so as to release the ions from the ion guide in mass-dependent order, with larger masses released before smaller masses. The operating conditions may be set such that ions over the entire mass range arrive at a desired downstream focal point simultaneously, for example at an accelerator of a time-of-flight analyzer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sealing fluidic component based on a capillary enclosing a fluid conduit and having an exterior surface being at least partially coated with a coating of a meltable material, wherein the method comprises melting the meltable material of the coating at least at an end portion of the capillary, and resolidifying the melted material to thereby form, at the end portion, a sealing integral with the coating and constituted at least partially by the meltable material.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for inducing CRISPR/Cas-based gene regulation (e.g., genome editing or gene expression) of a target nucleic acid (e.g., target DNA or target RNA) in a cell. The methods include using modified single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) that enhance gene regulation of the target nucleic acid in a primary cell for use in ex vivo therapy or in a cell in a subject for use in in vivo therapy. Additionally, provided herein are methods for preventing or treating a genetic disease in a subject by administering a sufficient amount of a modified sgRNA to correct a mutation in a target gene associated with the genetic disease.

Abstract: A method for removing an ionic liquid from an aqueous sample is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes: (a) combining an aqueous sample including an ionic liquid with an ion exchanger composition including an ion exchanger counterion to produce a solution including a fluorous salt of the ionic liquid, where at least one of the ionic liquid and the ion exchanger counterion is fluorinated; (b) contacting the solution with a fluorous affinity material, thereby removing fluorous salt from the solution and producing an aqueous eluate; and (c) collecting the aqueous eluate. In certain embodiments, the method further includes: contacting a cell with an ionic liquid composition to lyse the cell and produce an aqueous sample; and contacting the aqueous sample with a reverse phase substrate, thereby adsorbing proteins and/or lipids of the cell on the substrate. Compositions, kits and systems for practicing the subject methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method and a system for introducing a sample into a mobile phase of a chromatography system is provided. The method includes initially directing the mobile phase directly into a separation unit of the chromatography system, bypassing a sample loop, the mobile phase including a combined solvent, metered from a pressurized first solvent and a second solvent; loading the sample into the sample loop, while the mobile phase continues to be directed directly into the separation unit; pressurizing the sample in the sample loop with the pressurized first solvent, while the mobile phase continues to be directed directly into the separation unit; and switching the sample loop into the mobile phase, thereby introducing the pressurized sample to the separation unit.

Abstract: In a liquid chromatography system, a sample is injected into a column by flowing a solvent mixture from a mixer into the column along a solvent mixture flow path; and injecting a sample into the solvent mixture flow path downstream of the mixer. In another liquid chromatography system, a sample is injected into a column by loading an isolator fluid into a sample loop, loading a sample into the sample loop, and flowing the sample into the column as a plug in front of the isolator fluid.

Abstract: A gas chromatographic (GC) unit or module may include one or more microfluidic devices, a GC column, and a flow controller (FC) comprising an FC input port for controlling fluid flows and pressures. The GC unit may be reconfigurable to provide different functionalities. The GC unit may be fluidly coupled to various other fluidic devices, such as other GC units, sample inlets, GC detectors, and the like. Multiple GC units and other fluidic devices may be utilized to build GC devices and associated systems of flexible, reconfigurable, and scalable architecture, thereby enabling a variety of modes of operation useful for present and future GC method development.

Abstract: A scanner and method for using the same are disclosed. The scanner includes a stage, a MIR light source, an imaging system, and a controller. The stage is adapted to hold a specimen to be imaged and to move the specimen in a first direction and in a second direction that is orthogonal to the lateral direction. The imaging system forms an image plane of the specimen when the stage is positioned at a second direction distance, z, from a known point in the imaging system. The imaging system forms a plurality of different image planes of the specimen at the illumination wavelength. Each of the plurality of image planes is characterized by a different value of z, the controller determining a value of z for each of a plurality of points on the specimen at which the point on the specimen is in focus.

Abstract: An electrode assembly is provided in a high sub-atmospheric pressure region of an ion source, between an ionization chamber and a vacuum region of a spectrometer, such as a mass spectrometer, an ion mobility spectrometer, or an ion mobility-mass spectrometer. The electrode assembly is spaced at a distance from an outlet of an ion transfer device. A voltage source imparts a potential difference between the ion transfer device and the electrode assembly to accelerate ions emitted from the outlet to a collision energy. The collision energy is effective to cause collisional heating of ions in the high sub-atmospheric pressure region without voltage breakdown. The collision energy may be set to cause unfolding of folded biomolecular ions and/or dissociation of ions.

Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) utilizes a multi-channel ion detector to detect ions traveling in separate flight paths, spatially dispersed along a drift axis and/or a transverse axis, in a flight tube of a TOF analyzer. The ion beams may be dispersed by drift energy, deflection along the drift and/or transverse axis, ion mass, or a combination of two or more of the foregoing. The dispersion may be carried out before, at, or after an ion accelerator of the TOF analyzer. Ion packets may be accelerated into the flight tube at a multi-pulse firing rate. Tandem MS may be implemented on parallel ion beams simultaneously.

Abstract: An apparatus that facilitates the manual sorting of objects is disclosed. The apparatus includes a display surface having a surface that can be selectively illuminated and that is adapted for receiving the objects. An identification reader reads identification information stored on the objects. A controller causes an area on the display surface corresponding to one of the objects to be illuminated based on the identification information and indicates a location to which the illuminated object is to be moved. In one aspect of the invention, the display surface includes an area adapted for positioning a receiver for the objects. The display surface provides an indication of a position in the receiver at which the one of the objects is to be placed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for displaying gene- and/or protein-related data with respect to chromosome maps at locations identifying relevant positioning of the genes with which the gene- and/or protein related data are associated. Multiple experiments may be plotted onto the display adjacent one or more chromosome maps. Automatic extraction of genomic location, based on accession numbers or other unique identifiers and cross connection with expression data is provided. Statistical assessments of correlations between expression and genome localization may be performed. Zooming capabilities, thumbnail/fullview toggling, browsability and linked data may be included as features of the visualization systems described.

Abstract: A method of deprotecting a solid support bound polynucleotide includes the step of contacting the polynucleotide with a composition comprising a diamine under conditions sufficient to deprotect the 2?-protected ribonucleotide residue. The solid support bound polynucleotide has at least one 2?-protected ribonucleotide residue, which has the following structure: wherein BP is a protected or unprotected heterocycle; R12 is a protecting group selected from a hydrocarbyl, a substituted hydrocarbyl, an aryl, and a substituted aryl; X is O or S; and PG is a thionocarbamate protecting group.

Abstract: Among other things, this disclosure provides a method of detecting a target nucleic acid. Aspects of the method include: (a) obtaining a labeled nucleic acid probe that is complementary to a target nucleic acid, wherein the probe comprises a capture tag; (b) hybridizing the probe with the target nucleic in a fixed cell, in situ, to produce a duplex; (c) linking the probe in the duplex to a peroxidase conjugate via the capture tag to produce a peroxidase-labeled duplex; and (d) incubating the peroxidase-labeled duplex with a peroxidase substrate, wherein the peroxidase activity of the peroxidase conjugate catalyzes deposition of the substrate in the vicinity of the duplex, thereby producing a detectable signal.