Abstract: A system and method: provide a user interface to a user, the user interface including one or more objects representing a corresponding one or more instruments that are connected to the system; receive from a user a selection of one of the one or more instruments, made via the user interface; obtaining at the computer a file that describes commands to which the selected instrument responds; and present to the user via the user interface an indication of the commands to which the selected instrument responds.

Abstract: A system for measuring a property of a device under test (DUT) includes a stimulus signal generator and a receiver. The stimulus signal generator generates a repetitive stimulus signal under control of a first clock, and provides the stimulus signal to an input port of the DUT. The receiver receives an input signal output from the DUT, the input signal being based on the stimulus signal provided to the input port of the DUT. The receiver includes a second clock syntonized with the first clock, a memory that stores a calibration measurement of a calibration stimulus signal provided to the receiver during a calibration period without the DUT being connected to the stimulus signal generator, and a data processor configured to determine the property of the DUT by comparing the stored calibration measurement with a measurement of the input signal from the DUT performed under control of the second clock.

Abstract: A predistortion generator includes a sample input, a summing circuit to output predistorted samples to a DAC, and distortion term processors, each including a product generator and a FIR filter in tandem. The distortion term processors include a second-order and/or a third-order distortion term processor. In the second-order distortion term processor, the product generator generates a product of only two samples corresponding to a current sample as a respective second-order distortion term that is filtered by the FIR filter thereof using a respective FIR filter characteristic. In the third-order distortion term processor, the product generator generates a product of only three samples corresponding to the current sample as a respective third-order distortion term that is filtered by the FIR filter thereof using a respective FIR filter characteristic. The FIR filter characteristics of FIR filters are configured to reduce distortion in a designated Nyquist zone.

Abstract: A method of detecting a trigger event includes receiving an input signal for analysis. The received input signal is used to generate first data corresponding to sequential sets of spectral output data sets, at least some of the spectral output data sets corresponding to sample points in time acquired from the input signal as the input signal changes with time. At least part of the first data is then compared with second data, the second data corresponding to a predetermined sequential set of signature spectral data sets corresponding to a time-varying spectrum associated with a trigger event. A trigger signal is then generated in response to a change in a state of match between the at least part of first and second data.

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: A method for operating a data processing system having a display screen on which a GUI is displayed is disclosed. The GUI has a plurality of configurations having different aspect ratios or numbers of pixels. The method includes providing a layout description and a runtime system that generates the GUI in response to the layout description and the display configuration. The layout description defines a first container having a plurality of components to be shown in the GUI within a first container space. Each component has a component layout description within the first container. The runtime system automatically allocates the first container space depending on the display configuration, and automatically divides the first container space into plurality of component spaces. Each component is shown in a corresponding one of the component spaces. The first container space and the component spaces automatically change when the display configuration changes.

Abstract: System and method for testing a pump. The testing of the pump includes determining a Mechanical Power Index (MPI) for the pump. The MPI is determined by operating the pump at operating speed for a minimum operating interval. When the pump is stopped under normal operation by the application, the pump speed is continuously monitored. The time when the pump speed decreases to an initial speed close to the operating speed is read as an initial time. When the pump speed decreases to a final pump speed close to the critical speed, the end time is read and the elapsed time is determined as ?t=end time?initial time. The MPI is calculated to be the initial pump speed minus the final pump speed divided by ?t. The MPI can be used during the lifetime of the pump to determine when the pump is deteriorating.

Abstract: Compound tags and shifting agents are provided that find use in ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), mass spectrometry (MS), or a combination of IMS and MS, and which can substantially increase separation of multiple components in complex samples and facilitate quantitative and multiplexed analyses. In some cases, the compounds include a linker and a normalizing group, each including a structural unit and separated by a cleaveable group, and a crown ether. Also provided are methods for analyzing peptides in a sample. In some cases, the method includes coupling the compound to peptides which include a terminal guanidinium moiety capable of forming an intra-molecular complex with the crown ether.

Abstract: A scroll pump isolates vibrations of a pump head/motor assembly of the pump from the exterior of the pump and thus, suppresses the production of airborne noise. The pump includes a sound-muffling enclosure surrounding the pump head/motor assembly, feet supporting the enclosure, and elastic vibration isolators. The pump head/motor assembly is fixed to the tops of the vibration isolators, and the sound-muffling enclosure is fixed to the vibration isolators at the bottoms of the isolators. The scroll pump also has a locking system by which motion of the pump head/motor assembly relative to the sound-muffling enclosure can be limited or prevented, and by which the sound-muffling enclosure can be hard-mounted to a support surface independently of the feet.

Abstract: A gas chromatograph (GC) inlet device includes a multi-capillary liner capable of separating components of a sample matrix prior to injecting the sample into an analytical GC column. The device is switchable between different modes, such as a normal injection modes, splitless modes, split modes, a backflush modes, and cut modes.

Abstract: An adjustable directional coupler circuit includes a directional coupler and a correction circuit. The directional coupler includes a first port for receiving an input signal; a second port for outputting the input signal to a load; a third port for outputting a first coupled signal including a desired first coupled signal proportional to forward power of the input signal and an extraneous first coupled signal proportional to reverse power of a reflected signal; and a fourth port for outputting a second coupled signal including a desired second coupled signal proportional to the reverse power and an extraneous second coupled signal proportional to the forward power. The correction circuit adjusts magnitude and phase of a sample of the second coupled signal to provide an adjusted second coupled signal, and to sum the adjusted second coupled signal and the first coupled signal to cancel the extraneous first coupled signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor test system includes test head pins; per-pin resources which are connectable to the test head pins on a one-to-one basis; shared resources, each of which is connectable to one of the test head pins; a tester controller for controlling the per-pin resources and the shared resources; and a tabular-form test plan including: a first column for specifying a measurement function that uses at least one of the per-pin resources and the shared resources; and at least one second column for specifying input and output parameters of the measurement function, the tabular-form test plan further including program rows, the tabular-form test plan being executed by the tester controller, the tabular-form test plan further including a third column for specifying how rows that are executed by asynchronous parallel execution are to be grouped.

Abstract: A plasma source for generating microwave-induced plasma includes a plasma torch integrated with a microwave energy source. The torch establishes a gas flow path from one side of the plasma source to the other side. The torch may be integrated with the microwave energy source such that a plasma-forming gas flowing through the torch is subjected to microwave radiation, which serves to initiate and/or sustain plasma in the torch. The plasma may be ejected from the torch and utilized in various applications involving the use of plasma, including analytical techniques such as optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry.

Abstract: A modular pump platform includes a pump head module, a pump motor module, an electronics module and a separable tray. The pump motor module includes a pump motor having a rotary output removably coupled to a crank shaft of the pump head, the pump motor being one of multiple types of pump motors, and the pump motor module being detachably connected to the pump head module. The electronics module includes an electronic control circuit configured control operation of the pump motor, the electronic control circuit being one of multiple types of electronic control circuits corresponding to the types of pump motors. Each of the pump head module, the pump motor module and the electronics module is detachably connected to the separable tray. At least the pump motor module is interchangeable with another pump motor module comprising a pump motor of another type.

Abstract: A method of operating a data processing system having a control screen to provide control of a program is disclosed. First and second program graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and a runtime library are provided. The first program GUI includes a first GUI description and a first method for operating on data input to or data output from that the first program GUI. The second program GUI includes a second GUI description and a second method for operating on data input to or data output from that the second program GUI. The runtime library includes the first and second method. The data processing system combines the first GUI description and the second GUI description to provide a compound GUI without recompiling the runtime library.

Abstract: A scroll pump has a metallic bellows that angularly synchronizes the stationary and orbiting scroll blades of the pump, and a hack-up system for the bellows. The back-up system consists of pins integral with and fixed relative to one of the stationary and orbital parts of the scroll pump, and a guide part that is integral with and fixed relative to the other of the stationary and orbital parts. The back-up system may be a non-contacting hack-up system in which there is no contact between the pins and guide part during normal operation of the pump. Therefore, no particles are created by a wearing away of such parts which would otherwise have the potential to contaminate the fluid being worked by the pump and reduce the useful life of the pump.

Abstract: A composition comprising population of labeled oligonucleotides is provided herein. In some embodiments, the probes are of the formula: T1-V-T2, wherein: the nucleotide sequence of the V region varies in said population; the V regions of the different oligonucleotides hybridize to sites that are tiled across a sequence in a target nucleic acid; the T1 and T2 regions do not hybridize with said target nucleic acid; within each oligonucleotide of the population, the T1 and T2 regions are not complementary; and within each oligonucleotide of the population, the T1 region is complementary to the T2 region of at least one of other oligonucleotide of the population. Also provided is a method that comprises hybridizing the population of labeled oligonucleotides with a target nucleic acid to produce a complex.

Abstract: A fluid supply system (150) adapted for metering two or more fluids in controlled proportions and for supplying a resultant mixture, the fluid supply system (150) comprising a plurality of solvent supply lines (104 to 107), each fluidically connected with a fluid source (100 to 103) providing a respective fluid, a pumping unit (110) comprising a reciprocating element (115) adapted for intaking fluid supplied at an inlet of the pumping unit (110) and for supplying the pressurized fluid at an outlet of the pumping unit (110), wherein the pumping unit (110) is adapted for taking in fluids from selected solvent supply lines (104 to 107) and for supplying a pressurized mixture of the fluids at its outlet, a proportioning valve (108) interposed between the solvent supply lines (104 to 107) and the inlet of the pumping unit (110), the proportioning valve (108) adapted for modulating solvent composition by sequentially coupling selected ones of the solvent supply lines (104 to 107) with the inlet of the pumping unit

Abstract: A robotic arm assembly includes a first arm and second arm coupled by a shaft and bearing assembly, forming a joint at which the first arm rotates about a joint axis. The bearing assembly includes angular contact cartridge bearings contacting corresponding angled surfaces of the assembly, and a bearing cap. The shaft is attached to the first arm, extends through the second arm, and is attached to the bearing cap such that the bearing assembly is axially compressed between the bearing cap and the first arm. The bearing assembly may include components for preloading the bearing assembly and enabling components to self-align during assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a sample tube includes a plurality of rollers circumscribing a clearance space along a central axis, and an actuator configured for moving the rollers between a non-gripping position and a gripping position. At the non-gripping position, the rollers are oriented relative to the central axis such that a diameter of the clearance space is at a maximum; and at the gripping position, the rollers are at a twisted angle relative to the central axis, and the diameter is reduced such that the rollers contact the sample tube.