Abstract: Microfluidic channels networks and systems are provided. One network includes a first fluid channel having a first depth dimension; at least a second channel intersecting the first channel at a first intersection; at least a third channel in fluid communication with the first intersection, at least one of the first intersection and the third channel having a depth dimension that is greater than the first depth dimension. Also provided is a flow control system for directing fluids in the network. Systems are additionally provided for flowing disrupted particles into a droplet formation junction, whereby a portion of the disrupted particles or the contents thereof are encapsulated into one or more droplets. Further provided is a method for controlling filling of a microfluidic network by controlling passive valving microfluidic channel network features.

Abstract: Systems and methods for analyzing groundwater samples with multiple organic tracer species from a petroleum containing reservoir include obtaining the sample, isolating an aqueous fraction of the groundwater sample, separating the aqueous fraction into a plurality of components, where each component corresponds to a different one of the organic tracer species, combining each of the separated components with at least one lanthanide element to form a plurality of component solutions, where a ratio of the at least one lanthanide element to the separated component in each component solution is 5:1 or greater, and analyzing each component solution to determine a relative amount of each organic tracer species in the groundwater sample.

Abstract: Methods for differentiating full-length high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) and cleaved HMWK in a sample are provided herein. Such methods may comprise treating a biological sample with a protease to generate a plurality of digested peptides, and measuring one or more signature peptides, which are indicative of cleaved HMWK and/or full-length HMWK.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of quantifying multiple quality attributes, such as post translational modifications, of multiple samples in a single mass spectrometry (MS) run, including contacting two or more samples with a digesting solution under conditions sufficient to digest samples, wherein each sample is digested separately and the digesting solution is a Tris-free buffer solution; contacting each of the two or more digested samples with a specific Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) labeling reagent under conditions sufficient to label peptides within each of the digested samples with the specific TMT labeling reagent; quenching labeling of peptides within each of the two or more digested samples; combining equal volumes of the two or more labeled, digested samples into a single combined sample solution; and analyzing the single combined sample solution by targeted mass spectral analysis, thereby allowing multiple quality attributes of the two or more samples to be quantified in a single mass spectrometry (MS) run.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides feeder hydrogel particles that can function to support the growth, proliferation, and/or activation of a target cell in culture. The present disclosure also provides methods of culturing target cells with feeder hydrogel particles.

Abstract: An automated method for performing an assay of the present disclosure can be performed in a microfluidic device that is a lateral flow device having numerous features to ensure correct operation of the device under gravity, such as vent pockets for enabling the flow of sample fluid from one chamber to the next when the vent pocket is unsealed. Each chamber can have a reagent recess proximal to an inlet end of the chamber. A reagent pellet formed in a reagent recess can be effectively mixed with a sample as the sample flows into the chamber. A flexible circuit with patterned metallic electrical components disposed on a heat stable material can be in direct contact with fluid in the chambers and has resistive heating elements aligned with, for example, a chamber for performing an amplification reaction.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods for determining the serotype of a virus particle and/or or determining the heterogeneity of a virus particle (e.g., an AAV particle). In other embodiments, the invention provides methods to determine the heterogeneity of AAV particles. In some aspects, the invention provides viral particles (e.g., rAAV particles) with improved stability and/or improved transduction efficiency by increasing the acetylation and/or deamidation of capsid proteins.

Abstract: Embodiments presented provide for a method and apparatus for testing a sample fluid for asphaltene deposition. The apparatus provides two testing cylinders and a transfer pump to transfer fluid from the first cylinder to the second cylinder and back again while pressure is varied on the testing fluid, while a spectrometer evaluates the fluid during the pressure variation.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for sample analysis using swabs. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems that include a probe having a conductive proximal portion coupled to a porous material at a distal portion of the probe that is configured to retain a portion of a sample that has contacted the porous material, and a mass spectrometer having an inlet. The system is configured such that the porous material at a distal portion of the probe is aligned over the inlet of the mass spectrometer.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a visual bionic digestive system for a human gastrointestinal tract model, and belongs to the field of bionic digestive systems.

Abstract: A method for preparing an analytical sample for analysis of a glycan contained in a sample includes: performing an amidation reaction that amidates a lactone structure included in the glycan through contacting the sample with a reaction solution that is basic; adding an acidic solution to the reaction solution after the reaction solution is subjected to the amidation reaction; and purifying the sample contained in the reaction solution after the acidic solution is added to the reaction solution by using a carrier for hydrophilic interaction chromatography.

Abstract: Described are methods, compositions, and devices for a concatemeric protein standard that behaves as a protein but transforms into single peptides upon digestion, which is optimized to function as a non-obtrusive process control for mass spectrometry analysis.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for analyzing target compounds from a fluid or dried biological sample by using a microfluidic sample device including a hollow cartridge and an absorbent body unit.

Abstract: Methods of LC-MS/MS quantification of ?-carboxylated proteins in plasma, serum, or blood, including dried blood spots, are disclosed. The methods can be used to determine patient-specific dosing of anticoagulant drugs and diagnosis of liver diseases, such as hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract: This document relates to methods for detecting and quantifying heavy and light chains of immunoglobulin using mass spectrometry techniques.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, libraries, and samples for quantifying a target analyte in a laboratory sample including the target analyte. The methods typically include the step of estimating the amount of the target analyte in the laboratory sample from mass spectrometric data including signal intensities for the target analyte and one or more internal standards, where the mass spectrometric data are an output of a mass spectrometric analysis of a target sample produced from the laboratory sample and a predetermined amount of the one or more internal standards. The present disclosure also provides a method for analyte quantification. The method comprises adding one or more calibrators to a sample comprising one or more analytes; applying mass spectrometry (MS) to the sample; and using a trained machine learning model to determine an absolute concentration of the one or more analytes.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for analyzing a body fluid proteome. The method comprises: obtaining a sample to be tested I enriched with low-abundance proteins by removing high-abundance proteins in an initial sample A using an affinity technique; obtaining a sample to be tested II enriched with low-abundance proteins by removing high-abundance proteins in an initial sample B using chemical precipitation, wherein the initial sample A and the initial sample B are obtained from a same body fluid sample of a same subject; obtaining a proteome data set I by performing proteomic analysis on the sample to be tested I; obtaining a proteome data set II by performing proteomic analysis on the sample to be tested II; and determining a final quantified proteome data set of the body fluid sample based on the proteome data set I and the proteome data set II.

Abstract: To provide a method for discriminating a microorganism by selecting and using a marker protein capable of reproducibly and quickly discriminating a bacterial species of the genus Listeria. The method for discriminating a microorganism according to the present invention includes: a step of subjecting a sample containing a microorganism to mass spectrometry to obtain a mass spectrum; a reading step of reading a mass-to-charge ratio m/z of a peak derived from a marker protein from the mass spectrum; and a discrimination step of discriminating which bacterial species of Listeria bacteria the microorganism contained in the sample contains based on the mass-to-charge ratio m/z, in which at least one of 17 ribosomal proteins L3, L4, L23, L2, L24, L6, L18, S5, L15, S13, S11, L10, L21, L13, S9, L31, S16 is used as the marker protein and particularly at least one of 8 ribosomal proteins L24, L6, L18, L15, S9, L31, S16 among the 17 ribosomal proteins is used.

Abstract: Provided are synthetic dendrimer calibrants for mass spectrometry. The calibrants are distinguished by their relative case and rapidity of synthesis, comparatively low cost, long shelf life, high purity, and amenability to batch synthesis as mixtures. The latter characteristic enables parallel preparation of higher molecular weight compounds displaying useful distributions of discrete molecular weights, thereby providing multi-point mass spectrometry calibration standards. Methods of making, tuning and using said calibrants are provided.

Abstract: Volatile organic chemicals emitted by a shell egg embryo are used to identify the fertility, viability, and sex of the shell egg embryo. Shortly after the egg is laid, the egg is isolated in a vapor-tight compartment so that a vapor containing volatile organic chemicals emitted by the shell egg embryo collect in the headspace of the compartment. The chemicals in the vapor are analyzed to construct a chemical profile of the shell egg embryo, and then the chemical profile of the shell egg embryo vapor is loaded into a previously developed model. Based on the data generated by the model, the shell egg is embryo is predicted to be an alive male, an alive female, an infertile egg, or an egg containing a dead embryo.