Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analyzing the analyte ions.

Abstract: A method of analysis using mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: using a first device to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a first target of biological material; and mass and/or ion mobility analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said aerosol, smoke, or vapour, or ions derived therefrom so as to obtain first spectrometric data. The method may use an ambient ionisation method.

Abstract: A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed comprising a first device for generating aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a target, an inlet conduit to an ion analyser or mass spectrometer, the inlet conduit having an inlet through which the aerosol, smoke or vapour passes, and a Venturi pump arrangement arranged and adapted to direct the aerosol, smoke or vapour towards the inlet.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: providing an analyte; supplying a matrix compound to said analyte such that said analyte dissolves in said matrix; forming first droplets of the dissolved analyte; and colliding said first droplets with a collision surface. The use of matrix improves the analyte ion signal.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising obtaining or acquiring image or other data from one or more regions of a target using an imaging sensor. The image or other data may then be used to determine one or more regions of interest of the target. An ambient ionisation ion source may then be used to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of the target.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising obtaining physical or other non-mass spectrometric data from one or more regions of a target using a probe. The physical or other non-mass spectrometric data may be used to determine one or more regions of interest of the target. An ambient ionisation ion source may then used to generate an aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of the target.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising obtaining or acquiring chemical or other non-mass spectrometric data from one or more regions of a target using a chemical sensor. The chemical or other non-mass spectrometric data may be used to determine one or more regions of interest of the target. An ambient ionisation ion source may then be used to generate aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of the target.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing ambient ionisation mass and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substantially cylindrical, tubular, rod-shaped, coil-shaped, helical or spiral-shaped collision assembly; and a first device arranged and adapted to direct analyte, smoke, fumes, liquid, gas, surgical smoke, aerosol or vapour onto said collision assembly.

Abstract: In a medical viewing system having an X-ray image acquisition device a data processing unit is adapted for generating two different views on a three-dimensional image set, wherein a first view is corresponding to the viewing direction of the X-ray image acquisition device and a second view has a rotational offset to the first viewing direction. The first view may include live X-ray images, e.g. for monitoring a stent placement. The second view 10 supports a clinician to unambiguously judge whether ostia connection points may be blocked that are not clearly visible in anterior-posterior images.

Abstract: The presently disclosed subject matter provides refusal-based methods of establishing a cat or dog food preference, which can include methods of selecting a preferred cat or dog food among multiple foods as well as methods of determining palatability. The methods can include presenting a cat or dog with one or more small samples of a test food and observing for refusal behavior, which can include refusing to eat a food sample. Higher numbers of instances of refusal of a particular food can be correlated with lower palatability.

Abstract: An imaging system for tracking brain deformation, a method for tracking brain deformation, a method of operating a device for tracking brain deformation are disclosed. A first 3D representation (112) of a cerebrovascular vessel structure of a region of interest of an object is provided (110), and (114) a second 3D representation (116) of the cerebrovascular vessel structure are used to determine brain deformation. At least a part of the first 3D representation is elastically three-dimensionally registered (118) with at least a part of the second 3D representation. A deformation field (122) of the cerebrovascular vessel structure is determined (120) based on the elastic registration. The determined vessel deformation is applied (124) to a brain structure representation to determine a deformation (126) of the cerebral structure.

Abstract: An apparatus (130) and a method for adjusting, in perfusion imaging system, a periodic contrast agent injection rate signal (IS) for an injector (135) as function of an image sampling rate determined by the rotational speed of an X-ray source (107)-detector (109) assembly of an X-ray imager (100). Frequency, periodicity and pulse width of the contrast agent injection rate signal (IS) is adjusted to mitigate temporal signal aliasing in a sample of a time attenuation contrast (TAC) signal.

Abstract: The current disclosure relates to pharmaceutical combinations and compositions useful in the treatment of certain types of cancer. The disclosure also relates to method of treatment these certain types of cancer. In particular, the disclosure relates to the combined use of inhibitors of ROCK and proteins of the MAPK/ERK-pathway in the treatment of KRAS-, NRAS- or BRAF-mutated cancer, in particular in NRAS mutated melanoma.

Abstract: A system and method of creating affinity groups of portable communication device users, and distributing targeted content to said users is disclosed. The user affinity groups may be formed by comparing user profiles with each other or with a predefined affinity group profile definition.

Abstract: The current disclosure relates to pharmaceutical combinations and compositions useful in the treatment of certain types of cancer. The disclosure also relates to methods for treatment of these types of cancer. In particular, the disclosure relates to the combined use of of an inhibitor of a protein of the MAPK/ERK pathway and an inhibitor of specific kinases in the treatment of a cancer, in particular melanoma, in a patient. In an important embodiment, the cancer is characterized by the absence or reduced expression of MITF.

Abstract: The current disclosure relates to pharmaceutical combinations and compositions useful in the treatment of certain types of cancer. The disclosure also relates to method of treatment these certain types of cancer. In particular, the disclosure relates to the combined use of inhibitors of ROCK and proteins of the MAPK/ERK-pathway in the treatment of KRAS-, NRAS- or BRAF-mutated cancer, in particular in NRAS mutated melanoma.

Abstract: 2D images are registered with 3D volume data. In order to provide 2D/3D registration with a facilitated workflow 3D volume data (112) of an object, having a frame of reference is received. A transformation plane (116) is defined in relation to the 3D volume data. A 2D image of the object with an image plane is received. The transformation plane is projected on the image plane. The frame of reference is aligned with the 2D image. At least one alignment interaction value (128) is projected (130) on the transformation plane to determine (134) at least one transformed interaction value (132). The frame of reference is translated with the at least one transformed interaction value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to vessel segmentation. In order to provide an improved way of providing segmentation information with reduced X-ray dose, an X-ray image processing device (10) is provided that comprises an interface unit (12), and a data processing unit (14). The interface unit is configured to provide a sequence of time series angiographic 2D images of a vascular structure obtained after a contrast agent injection. The data processing unit is configured to determine an arrival time index of a predetermined characteristic related to the contrast agent injection for each of a plurality of determined pixels along the time series, and to compute a connectivity index for each of the plurality of the determined pixels based on the arrival time index. The data processing unit is configured to generate segmentation data of the vascular structure from the plurality of the determined pixels, wherein the segmentation data is based on the connectivity index of the pixels.