Abstract: A method and system of providing a phase reference signal includes generating a reference signal having a reference frequency, modulating the reference signal at a modulation frequency lower than the reference frequency to obtain a modulated drive signal, receiving the modulated drive signal at a phase reference, and generating the phase reference signal based on the modulated drive signal. The phase reference signal including multiple reference tones having corresponding tone frequencies clustered around multiples of the reference frequency. A spacing between adjacent tones of the multiple reference tones is the same as the modulation frequency or an integer multiple of the modulation frequency.

Abstract: A signal bus includes multiple interconnects for transporting electronic signals. The interconnects have different physical path lengths and different structures to equalize the different the physical path lengths, so that the electronic signals traverse the corresponding interconnects in same period of time.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include 2? protected nucleoside monomers that are protected at the 2? site with thiocarbon protecting groups. Thiocarbon protecting groups of interest include thiocarbonate, thionocarbonate, dithiocarbonate groups, as well as thionocarbamate protecting groups. Aspects of the invention further include nucleic acids that include the protecting groups of the invention, as well as methods of synthesizing nucleic acids using the protecting groups of the invention.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining if ringing in an output signal from a receiver that processes an input signal is the result of a bandwidth limitation in the receiver that processes an input signal rather than ringing in the input signal is disclosed. The apparatus includes the receiver and a ring suppression filter. The ring suppression filter receives the receiver output signal and generates a ring suppressed output signal therefrom. The receiver and the ring suppression filter provide a first aggregate system response such that the ring suppressed output signal does not include ringing introduced by the receiver. The first aggregate system response is linear in phase.

Abstract: The invention features a novel isolated Family B DNA polymerase, a Thermococcus polymerase JDF-3, and mutant recombinant forms thereof. Mutant polymerases of the invention are deficient in 3? to 5? exonuclease activity and/or exhibit reduced discrimination against non-conventional nucleotides relative to the wild-type form of the polymerase.

Abstract: A valve arrangement is disclosed for providing a switchable fluid connection between a fluid delivery system for driving a mobile phase and a stationary phase adapted for separating compounds of a sample fluid comprised in the mobile phase.

Abstract: A contactless device for measuring at least the temperature of a rotor of a high-speed rotary machine, in particular a turbomolecular vacuum pump, comprises at least one magnetic capsule mounted on the rotor of the pump. The capsule comprises a permanent magnet and at least one pastille of ferromagnetic material having a Curie temperature slightly higher than a maximum temperature to be measured. The magnetic permeability of this material strongly depends on temperature. The pastille is intended to alter the magnetic field generated by the magnet. A detector carried by the stator of the pump generates pulses representative of the magnetic field varying with the rotor temperature, generated by the capsule, whenever the latter passes in front of the detector.

Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a pump unit, where the pump unit includes a primary piston pump having a primary piston and a secondary piston pump having a secondary piston. The primary piston pump is fluidically connected with the secondary piston pump. The primary piston pump includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve, and the pump unit operates periodically according to a pump cycle. The method includes determining a fluid pressure of fluid dispensed by the pump unit, and performing a closed loop control of a position of the primary piston in dependence on the fluid pressure of the fluid dispensed by the pump unit during a first time interval of the pump cycle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting or enriching for a target deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) present in a nucleic acid sample, said method comprising: (a) fragmenting a nucleic acid sample to generate nucleic acid fragments including a target fragment containing said target DNA; (b) rendering said fragments, including said target fragment, at least partially single-stranded, wherein the single-stranded portion includes an end portion and wherein the length of said single-stranded portion is sufficient to allow hybridisation of at least part of the single-stranded portion of said target fragment to the probe of step (c); (c) contacting the at least partially single-stranded fragments of step (b) with oligonucleotides A and B of a single target-specific nucleic acid probe, wherein: (i) oligonucleotide A is a single-stranded oligonucleotide comprising at one end a first target-specific part comprising at least 10 nucleotides complementary in sequence to at least part of said single-stranded portio

Abstract: A coupling device includes a fiber collimator, a wedge window pair and a plane window for coupling a light beam provided by a beam source to optical fiber. The fiber collimator is mounted to a base plate and includes a collimator lens, an end of the optical fiber being positioned at a focal point of the collimator lens. The wedge window pair is mounted to the base plate, and is configured to adjust the light beam to be parallel to an optical axis of the fiber collimator. The plane window is mounted to the base plate between the wedge window pair and the fiber collimator. The plane window is configured to align the parallel direction of the light beam with the optical axis of the fiber collimator.

Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe circuit assembly includes one or more probe circuits in signal communication with one or more respective sample coils configured for transmitting and/or receiving radio-frequency (RF) energy to and/or from a sample of interest. One or more of the probe circuits have a suspended substrate configuration in which variable capacitors share a common dielectric substrate that is separated from a ground plane by an air gap. Each variable capacitor includes an electrode that is movable by a user-actuated adjusting device. One or more of the probe circuits may have a multiply resonant or broadband configuration, and may have one or more individual channels. One or more of the variable capacitors enable tuning to resonant frequencies of selected nuclei. One or more other variable capacitors may enable impedance matching.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention include 2? protected nucleoside monomers that are protected at the 2? site with orthoester-type protecting groups. The 2? protected monomers also include a second, aryl carbonate-type, protecting group. Aspects of the invention further include nucleic acids that include the protecting groups of the invention, as well as methods of synthesizing nucleic acids using the protecting groups of the invention.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a global synchronization interface and multiple modules. The global synchronization interface includes a global synchronization driver for driving a global synchronization signal. The modules include corresponding local synchronization interfaces, each local synchronization interface having a local synchronization driver for driving a local synchronization signal. In a local mode, the modules ignore the global synchronization signal and synchronize corresponding operations according to the local synchronization signal and a global reference signal. In a global mode, the modules ignore the local synchronization signal and synchronize the corresponding operations according to the global synchronization signal and the global reference signal.

Abstract: A method for metering two or more liquids in controlled proportions in a liquid supply system and for supplying a resultant mixture, in which the liquid supply system includes a plurality of solvent supply lines, a proportioning valve interposed between the solvent supply lines and an inlet of a pumping unit, the method includes drawing in a first liquid into the pumping unit via a first solvent supply line; determining one or more switching points of time for switching between different solvent supply lines, the switching points of time being determined in a way that at said switching points of time, the liquid supplied to the pumping unit is in a predefined pressure range; switching from the first solvent supply line to a second solvent supply line at one of said switching points of time; drawing in a second liquid into the pumping unit via the second solvent supply line.

Abstract: A column assembly for gas chromatography, which is coolable by a fluid, includes a capillary column, a heating element for heating at least a portion of the capillary column, and a tube having a lumen and in contact with at least one of the capillary column and the heating element. When energized, the heating element raises the temperature of the capillary column. To lower the temperature of the capillary column, a fluid flows through the tube, and heat is transferred from the capillary column to the fluid in the tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing multiple collimated light beams from optical fibers and the method for producing such beams. The apparatus includes first and second optical fibers that carry light of first and second wavelengths, respectively, a fixture that maintains the fibers in a fixed relationship to one another, and a collimating lens. Light from each of the first and second optical fibers diverges from a face of the fixture. The collimating lens produces first and second collimated light beams that are displaced relative to one another from the light leaving the face. The face of the fixture is positioned to correct for chromatic aberration in the lens.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of analyzing mass spectral data based on charge states of analyte ions. In some embodiments, the methods can be used for differential profiling of samples, such as comparing a sample comprising a given compound and a sample comprising metabolites of the same compound. The methods can also be used to identify and isolate biomarkers. Systems for performing the methods, as well as computer-readable media for performing the methods, are also described.

Abstract: GC-MS analysis apparatus has an interface section between GC and MS sections, which is located with respect to the direction of an analyte flow downstream of the GC section and upstream of the MS section. The interface section comprises at least one membrane with at least one orifice capable of establishing a molecular flow condition in the analyte passing between the GC and MS sections through the membrane. The membrane is subjected to a pressure differential such that the pressure pa in a region located upstream of the membrane is higher than the pressure pb in a region located downstream of the membrane.

Abstract: Non-rigid tape apparatus and fabrication methods for microfluidic processing applications such as gel electrophoresis are provided, where microfluidic processing is performed on selected areas. Parts of the tape are formed by high pressure plastic film forming. Membranes and other structures are self sealing during and after penetration by pipettes and electrical probes. Rigid exoskeleton elements protect the non-rigid parts during processing and facilitate transport of the tape.

Abstract: A mass analyzer comprises a pair of planar electrode structures. The electrode structures are disposed opposite one another, parallel to one another, and axially offset from one another. One of the pair of planar electrodes comprises an opening. The mass analyzer comprises an ion mirror disposed between the pair of planar electrodes. A mass spectrometer and a mass spectrometry method are also described.