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: The speed of a cooling fan of a scroll pump is controlled such that fan-generated noise can be kept low. The scroll pump includes a pump head, a pump motor, the fan, a controller and one or more sensors. The pump head includes a plate scroll set in which a tip seal is provided to create a seal between the blade and the opposing plates of the plate scrolls of the set. The speed of the fan is cycled by the controller, and the power draw on the pump motor as a result is checked. These results are used to infer the state of the pump, i.e., to discriminate several different states of the pump from one another, including a state in which a new tip seal is being worn in, and to control the speed of the fan accordingly.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include compositions that make use of phosphorus and/or nucleobase protecting groups which find use in the synthesis of long polynucleotides. Phosphorus protecting groups are provided that help increase the stepwise coupling yield and/or phosphorous protecting groups that can be removed during the oxidation step. Amidine nucleobase protecting groups are provided that find use in the subject compositions and methods which provides for e.g., increased resistance to depurination during polynucleotide synthesis. In some instances, the methods and compositions disclosed herein utilize a combination of the phosphorus and amidine nucleobase protecting groups in the synthesis of polynucleotides having a sequence of 200 or more monomeric units in length. Also provided are methods for synthesizing a polynucleotide (e.g., a DNA) using one or more compounds disclosed herein.

Abstract: An imaging scanner and a method for using the same are disclosed. The scanner includes a variable attenuator adapted to receive a light beam generated by a MIR laser and that generates an attenuated light beam therefrom characterized by an attenuation level. The scanner includes an optical assembly that focuses the attenuated light beam to a point on a specimen. A light detector measures an intensity of light leaving the point on the specimen, the light detector being characterized by a detector dynamic range. A controller forms a plurality of MIR images from the intensity as a function of position on the specimen, each of the plurality of MIR images being formed with a different level of attenuation of the light beam. The controller combines the plurality of MIR images to generate a combined MIR image having a dynamic range greater than the detector dynamic range.

Abstract: An ion source is configured for soft electron ionization and produces a low electron-energy, yet high-intensity, electron beam. The ion source includes an electron source that produces the electron beam and transmits it into an ionization chamber. The electron beam interacts with sample material in the ionization chamber to produce an ion beam that may be transmitted to a downstream device. The electron source is configured for generating a virtual cathode upstream of the ionization chamber, which enhances the intensity of the electron beam.

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: Provided herein is a method for enriching a target nucleic acid molecule. In one embodiment, the method may involve hybridizing a C-probe to a strand of a target nucleic acid to produce a complex, enzymatically removing any 3? overhanging end from the target nucleic acid of the complex to produce a 3? hydroxyl group at the 3? end; extending the 3? end of the first sequence using the oligonucleotide sequence of the C-probe as a template; enzymatically removing any 5? overhanging end from the target nucleic acid, either before or after the extending step, to produce an 5? phosphate group at the end of the second sequence; and ligating the 5? phosphate group at the end of the second sequence to the 3? hydroxyl group at the end of the first sequence to produce a circular DNA molecule that contains the target sequence and the complement of the oligonucleotide sequence.

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: An apparatus for heating a GC column is described. The apparatus includes first and second temperature sensors. Temperature data are used to set power provided to a heating element of the apparatus.

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 fluidic coupling device includes a housing, and a piston, spring, and cap insertable in the housing. The spring includes a stack of spring washers and is compressible between the cap and the the piston. The cap is threadedly engageable with the housing and movable into contact with the spring. The device may be coupled to a component in a sealed manner by inserting a ferrule between the piston and the component, inserting a conduit through the housing and into the component, and threadedly engaging the housing with the component, thereby compressing the spring and translating the piston against the ferrule. The device may enable coupling to be done manually, with minimal variation in compressive loading. The piston and spring may desensitize the device to thermal cycling effects, reducing the need for retightening.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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.