Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for the mass spectrometric quantification of two or more known target ion species, in which a mass spectrometric signal, composed of signal components of the two or more target ion species, which are not mass resolved in the mass spectrum, is weighted with quantification functions and summed, and a quantification parameter is determined for the two or more target ion species from the weighted sums.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for the mass spectrometric quantification of two or more known target ion species, in which a mass spectrometric signal, composed of signal components of the two or more target ion species, which are not mass resolved in the mass spectrum, is weighted with quantification functions and summed, and a quantification parameter is determined for the two or more target ion species from the weighted sums.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of resistances of microorganisms which produce ?-lactamases, in particular “extended spectrum ?-lactamases” (ESBL). The invention provides a method whereby the microbial resistance can be measured very simply and quickly by means of the catalytic effect of the microbially produced ?-lactamases on ?-lactam antibiotics, which consists in a hydrolytic cleavage of the ?-lactam ring. The method determines the resistance of the bacteria a few hours after a suitable substrate, either a ?-lactam antibiotic or a customized ?-lactam derivative, has been added to a suspension of the microbes, by direct mass spectrometric measurement of the substrate breakdown caused by the ?-lactamases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for separating ions and a trapped ion mobility separator. The trapped ion mobility separator comprises an ion guide extending in a closed loop which contains a gas substantially at rest through which ions pass. An axial force acting on the ions is provided, being caused by an electric field barrier providing an electric field gradient that moves around the ion guide, and having an effect on the movement of the ions that is dependent on ion mobility. At least one operating parameter of the trapped ion mobility separator, which has an impact on the mobility separation, is varied as a function of time, so that the ions are pushed controlled along the moving electric field barrier towards a high potential end of the electric field barrier, wherein the ions are ejected laterally from the ion guide before slipping over said electric field barrier.

Abstract: The invention relates to a trapped ion mobility separator, a hybrid mass spectrometric system and a method for analyzing ions. The trapped ion mobility separator comprises an ion channel in which ions move along an axis between a first end, at which ions are introduced into said ion channel, and a second end. Two axial forces acting on the ions are provided, the first axial force being caused by an alternating axial electric field and having an effect on the movement of the ions that is dependent on differential mobility, and the second axial force counteracting the first axial force at least temporarily. At least one of the two forces varies spatially and temporally, so that ions are trapped along the axis at mobility dependent positions and are driven progressively to one end of the ion channel as a function of their differential mobility.

Abstract: The invention relates to a trapped ion mobility filter, a hybrid mass spectrometric system and a method for analyzing ions. The trapped ion mobility filter comprises an ion channel in which ions move along an axis between a first end, at which ions are introduced into said ion channel, and a second end. Two axial forces acting on the ions are provided, the first axial force being caused by an alternating axial electric field and having an effect on the movement of the ions that is dependent on differential mobility, and the second axial force counteracting the first axial force at least temporarily. The two axial forces are configured such that ions with a first specific range of differential mobility are trapped within the filter region of the ion channel and ions with a differing second specific range of differential mobility are transmitted through the ion channel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for the mass spectrometric quantification of two or more known target ion species, in which a mass spectrometric signal, composed of signal components of the two or more target ion species, which are not mass resolved in the mass spectrum, is weighted with quantification functions and summed, and a quantification parameter is determined for the two or more target ion species from the weighted sums.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for determining the reduced ion mobility Ko of an ion species by trapped ion mobility spectrometry wherein the reduced ion mobility Ko is determined from a measured arrival time tm of the ion species and predetermined instrumental parameters by applying the inverse of a system function: Ko=SYS?1(tm,pi) or from multiple arrival times tm,i of the ion species measured for multiple values of an instrumental parameter.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and devices for determining the reduced ion mobility Ko of an ion species by trapped ion mobility spectrometry wherein the reduced ion mobility Ko is determined from a measured arrival time tm of the ion species and predetermined instrumental parameters by applying the inverse of a system function: Ko=SYS?1(tm,pi) or from multiple arrival times tm,i of the ion species measured for multiple values of an instrumental parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and instruments for the rapid detection and rapid mass spectrometric identification of microbial infective agents in blood or other body fluids. The invention recognizes that blood is not a good environment for the cultivation of microbes and provides a method which (a) largely destroys or dissolves the human particles in body fluids, such as erythrocytes and leukocytes in blood, without impairing the ability of the microbes to reproduce, (b) separates the microbial pathogens from the fluid, (c) cultivates them in a nutrient broth which contains none of the antimicrobial components of the body fluids, (d) separates them from the nutrient broth, and (e) identifies the microbes by a mass spectrum of the microbial proteins. The dissolution of the human particles also releases the microbes nesting in macrophages.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and instruments for the rapid detection and rapid mass spectrometric identification of microbial infective agents in blood or other body fluids. The invention recognizes that blood is not a good environment for the cultivation of microbes and provides a method which (a) largely destroys or dissolves the human particles in body fluids, such as erythrocytes and leukocytes in blood, without impairing the ability of the microbes to reproduce, (b) separates the microbial pathogens from the fluid, (c) cultivates them in a nutrient broth which contains none of the antimicrobial components of the body fluids, (d) separates them from the nutrient broth, and (e) identifies the microbes by a mass spectrum of the microbial proteins. The dissolution of the human particles also releases the microbes nesting in macrophages.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and instruments for the rapid detection and rapid mass spectrometric identification of microbial infective agents in blood or other body fluids. The invention recognizes that blood is not a good environment for the cultivation of microbes and provides a method which (a) largely destroys or dissolves the human particles in body fluids, such as erythrocytes and leukocytes in blood, without impairing the ability of the microbes to reproduce, (b) separates the microbial pathogens from the fluid, (c) cultivates them in a nutrient broth which contains none of the antimicrobial components of the body fluids, (d) separates them from the nutrient broth, and (e) identifies the microbes by a mass spectrum of the microbial proteins. The dissolution of the human particles also releases the microbes nesting in macrophages.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and instruments for the rapid detection and rapid mass spectrometric identification of microbial infective agents in blood or other body fluids. The invention recognizes that blood is not a good environment for the cultivation of microbes and provides a method which (a) largely destroys or dissolves the human particles in body fluids, such as erythrocytes and leukocytes in blood, without impairing the ability of the microbes to reproduce, (b) separates the microbial pathogens from the fluid, (c) cultivates them in a nutrient broth which contains none of the antimicrobial components of the body fluids, (d) separates them from the nutrient broth, and (e) identifies the microbes by a mass spectrum of the microbial proteins. The dissolution of the human particles also releases the microbes nesting in macrophages.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of resistances of microorganisms which produce ?-lactamases, in particular “extended spectrum ?-lactamases” (ESBL). The invention provides a method whereby the microbial resistance can be measured very simply and quickly by means of the catalytic effect of the microbially produced ?-lactamases on ?-lactam antibiotics, which consists in a hydrolytic cleavage of the ?-lactam ring. The method determines the resistance of the bacteria a few hours after a suitable substrate, either a ?-lactam antibiotic or a customized ?-lactam derivative, has been added to a suspension of the microbes, by direct mass spectrometric measurement of the substrate breakdown caused by the ?-lactamases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a linear multipole ion storage device which is suitable for reactions between positive and negative ions, and for fragmentation reactions by electron transfer dissociation (ETD) in particular. The invention uses a linear RF ion trap with at least three pairs of rods with a new type of electronic power supply. The two phases of a first RF voltage are applied to the pole rods alternately around the circumference and confine positive as well as negative ions in the radial direction. A second RF voltage is either applied single-phase to some of the pole rods, but not to all of them, or two-phase to unequal numbers of pole rods so that the axis potential oscillates with the frequency of this second RF voltage and generates a pseudopotential barrier which acts axially on ions of both polarities at the ends of the ion storage device. In the interior, the second RF produces a complex superposition field resulting in an increased fragmentation yield for ETD.

Abstract: In a linear ion trap, ions with two polarities are confined radially via an RF potential between the rods comprising the trap. Axially, ions of at least one polarity are confined via DC potentials applied to the elements of the trap or electrodes at the ends of the trap whereas ions of the other polarity are axially confined by a combination of pseudopotentials and/or DC potentials.

Abstract: The invention relates to the determination of the nature and strength of enzymatic activity in blood using mass spectrometric measurement of a profile of the reaction products. The determination of the enzymatic activity can be used for medical diagnostics, for example, and also to check the effectiveness of medication. The invention provides a method whereby adding probe substances usually not present in blood offers standardized substrates for measuring the enzymatic activity. The probe substances may be added to whole blood, plasma, or serum. The mass spectrometric measurement of the reaction products, after their reversible immobilization on actively binding surfaces of solids, for example, can deliver biomarker patterns of the reaction products which may be indicators for metabolic anomalies or diseases, since these are often accompanied by the formation or activation of characteristic enzymes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a linear multipole ion storage device which is suitable for reactions between positive and negative ions, and for fragmentation reactions by electron transfer dissociation (ETD) in particular. The invention uses a linear RF ion trap with at least three pairs of rods with a new type of electronic power supply. The two phases of a first RF voltage are applied to the pole rods alternately around the circumference and confine positive as well as negative ions in the radial direction. A second RF voltage is either applied single-phase to some of the pole rods, but not to all of them, or two-phase to unequal numbers of pole rods so that the axis potential oscillates with the frequency of this second RF voltage and generates a pseudopotential barrier which acts axially on ions of both polarities at the ends of the ion storage device. In the interior, the second RF produces a complex superposition field resulting in an increased fragmentation yield for ETD.

Abstract: In a linear ion trap, ions with two polarities are confined radially via an RF potential between the rods comprising the trap. Axially, ions of at least one polarity are confined via DC potentials applied to the elements of the trap or electrodes at the ends of the trap whereas ions of the other polarity are axially confined by a combination of pseudopotentials and/or DC potentials.

Abstract: In an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) coupled to a mass spectrometer (MS), the ion current from a suitable ion source is modulated with an analog modulation having a smooth modulation function, whose instantaneous frequency varies with time over a wide frequency range. The modulated ion current is continuously fed through a mobility drift region into the mass spectrometer, where the temporally varying ion current profile of at least one ion species is measured. The mobility spectrum of the ion species is then generated by correlating its ion current time profile with the modulation function.