Abstract: A cyclone includes a hollow cylindrical upper portion and a hollow conical lower portion having an inclined wall and a base wall. The base wall and the inclined wall are continuous contact with each other, and the inclined wall of the hollow conical lower portion is in continuous contact with an outer wall of the hollow cylindrical upper portion. A total cyclone height is from about 10 to about 30 millimeters, and a ratio of the total cyclone height to an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical upper portion is from about 0.7 to about 1.3. An angle between an inner surface of the base wall and an inner surface of the inclined wall is from about 110 to about 130 degrees.

Abstract: A contaminant-sequestering coating includes a network of hydrolyzed silane compounds. The hydrolyzed silane compounds include a hydrophilic polar head region, a hydrophobic linker, and an anchor region including a silicon atom. The network of hydrolyzed silane compounds is devoid or substantially devoid of fluorine atoms. Methods of destroying one or more perfluoroalkyl and/or polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) compounds present in a contaminant-containing liquid are also provided.

Abstract: A cyclone includes a hollow cylindrical upper portion and a hollow conical lower portion having an inclined wall and a base wall. The base wall and the inclined wall are continuous contact with each other, and the inclined wall of the hollow conical lower portion is in continuous contact with an outer wall of the hollow cylindrical upper portion. A total cyclone height is from about 10 to about 30 millimeters, and a ratio of the total cyclone height to an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical upper portion is from about 0.7 to about 1.3. An angle between an inner surface of the base wall and an inner surface of the inclined wall is from about 110 to about 130 degrees.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that drug resistance in microorganisms can be rapidly and accurately determined using mass spectrometry. A mass spectrum of an intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in drug containing, isotopically-labeled media is compared with a mass spectrum of the intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in non-labeled media without the drug present. Drug resistance is determined by predicting and detecting a characteristic mass shift of one or more biomarkers using algorithms. The characteristic mass shift is indicative that the microorganism is growing in the presence of the drug and incorporating the isotopic label into the one or more biomarkers, resulting in change in mass.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that drug resistance in microorganisms can be rapidly and accurately determined using mass spectrometry. A mass spectrum of an intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in drug containing, isotopically-labeled media is compared with a mass spectrum of the intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in non-labeled media without the drug present. Drug resistance is determined by predicting and detecting a characteristic mass shift of one or more biomarkers using algorithms. The characteristic mass shift is indicative that the microorganism is growing in the presence of the drug and incorporating the isotopic label into the one or more biomarkers, resulting in change in mass.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that drug resistance in microorganisms can be rapidly and accurately determined using mass spectrometry. A mass spectrum of an intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in drug containing, isotopically-labeled media is compared with a mass spectrum of the intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in non-labeled media without the drug present. Drug resistance is determined by predicting and detecting a characteristic mass shift of one or more biomarkers using algorithms. The characteristic mass shift is indicative that the microorganism is growing in the presence of the drug and incorporating the isotopic label into the one or more biomarkers, resulting in change in mass.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that drug resistance in microorganisms can be rapidly and accurately determined using mass spectrometry. A mass spectrum of an intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in drug containing, isotopically-labeled media is compared with a mass spectrum of the intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in non-labeled media without the drug present. Drug resistance is determined by predicting and detecting a characteristic mass shift of one or more biomarkers using algorithms. The characteristic mass shift is indicative that the microorganism is growing in the presence of the drug and incorporating the isotopic label into the one or more biomarkers, resulting in change in mass.

Abstract: Mass spectrometric techniques are provided for detecting the presence of parasites that accumulate unbound heme in red blood cells (including malaria parasites), based on the discovery that unbound heme can be detected and quantified using mass spectrometry. In one aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of: obtaining a blood sample from the animal; preparing a test sample on a support from the blood sample, and inserting the support into a mass spectrometer for analysis. Next one obtains a mass spectrum of the test sample and determines whether the mass spectrum contains a mass/charge signature of unbound heme. If it is determined that the mass spectrum of the test sample shows the mass/charge signature of unbound heme, the animal is diagnosed as infected with malaria parasites.

Abstract: Methods are described for detecting and quantifying occult blood in a biological sample using laser desorption mass spectrometry (LD MS). Biological samples that can be analyzed using various embodiments of the present invention include stool (fecal occult blood, FOB), and any bodily fluid including urine, cerebrospinal fluid and other bodily fluids. If the heme or heme metabolite is bound to protein, the sample is treated with acid before analysis to release the porphyrin. Some of the methods use LD MS with a time of flight analyzer (TOF) to detect and measure unbound heme, other hemoglobin metabolites and other molecules that have a porphyrin-based structure, e.g., bilirubin, biliverdin, protoporphyrin IX, and Zinc protoporphyrin in the biological sample. In other methods, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) is used to detect and quantify the individual ?- and ?-polypeptide chains of hemoglobin.

Abstract: A method for rapid identification of biological materials is presented, which exploits the wealth of information contained in genome and protein sequence databases (5). In a preferred embodiment, the method utilizes the masses of a set of ions by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry of intact or treated cells (1). Subsequent correlation (4) of each ion in the set to a protein, along with the organismic source of the protein, is performed by searching a database comprising protein molecular weights (9).

Abstract: Mass spectrometric techniques are provided for detecting the presence of parasites that accumulate unbound heme in red blood cells (including malaria parasites), based on the discovery that unbound heme can be detected and quantified using mass spectrometry. In one aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of: obtaining a blood sample from the animal; preparing a test sample on a support from the blood sample, and inserting the support into a mass spectrometer for analysis. Next one obtains a mass spectrum of the test sample and determines whether the mass spectrum contains a mass/charge signature of unbound heme. If it is determined that the mass spectrum of the test sample shows the mass/charge signature of unbound heme, the animal is diagnosed as infected with malaria parasites.

Abstract: Techniques for automatically analyzing a biological sample with a microscope include obtaining a first digital image of a first field of view of the biological sample. Cell data and anomalous data are automatically determined. Cell data indicates an area co-located in the first digital image with a cell set of one or more cells of a particular type. Anomalous data indicates an area co-located in the first digital image with an anomalous set of zero or more particular objects that are anomalous to normal cells of the particular type. The cell data and the anomalous data are automatically combined to determine the particular objects inside the cell set in the first digital image. An analytical result for the biological sample is generated based on the particular objects inside the cell set. These techniques allow the automated classification and quantification of malaria in microscope views of blood smears, among other diseases.

Abstract: Provided are methods of producing an electrode capable of binding an analyte thereto comprising: providing a substrate capable of binding a dithiol molecule thereto; electrochemically treating the substrate using cyclic voltammetry to provide a treated substrate having a fractal dimension of greater than about 2; and contacting the treated substrate with dithiol molecules to produce an electrode having dithiol groups attached thereto and capable of binding an analyte to be detected thereto. Also provided are methods of accumulating and detecting analytes using the electrodes produced via the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: A method for identifying small acid-soluble proteins (SASPs) by generating an increased number of biomarkers upon controllably triggering enzymatic digestion in an intact spore is disclosed. An additional embodiment of the method includes oxidizing an unknown protein in a microorganism by pre-selected oxidation facilitating agent, which causes a predetermined mass gain in Methionine, thus serving as an indicator of a particular family of proteins.

Abstract: Provided are methods of producing an electrode capable of binding an analyte thereto comprising: providing a substrate capable of binding a dithiol molecule thereto; electrochemically treating the substrate using cyclic voltammetry to provide a treated substrate having a fractal dimension of greater than about 2; and contacting the treated substrate with dithiol molecules to produce an electrode having dithiol groups attached thereto and capable of binding an analyte to be detected thereto. Also provided are methods of accumulating and detecting analytes using the electrodes produced via the methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a sensor array and related testing apparatus for rapidly detecting the presence and/or concentration of constituents in samples, particularly biological molecules in fluid samples, including associated testing methods. The invention can be adapted such that a plurality of the sensors each detect a different constituent so that the invention can rapidly detect multiple constituents in a single sample. The sensors may be arranged in an array and connected by a plurality of micro channels that are fed from a main channel into which the sample is introduced. Positive pressure can be applied to the main and micro channels by a micro-pump. Alternately, it can be adapted to detect one or more constituents in a plurality of separate samples. A plurality of sensors are provided, each comprising electrochemical cells comprising an anode, a cathode and a reference electrode separated from each other by one or more filters within which an electrolyte is suspended.

Abstract: Methods are described for detecting and quantifying occult blood in a biological sample using laser desorption mass spectrometry (LD MS). Biological samples that can be analyzed using various embodiments of the present invention include stool (fecal occult blood, FOB), and any bodily fluid including urine, cerebrospinal fluid and other bodily fluids. If the heme or heme metabolite is bound to protein, the sample is treated with acid before analysis to release the porphyrin. Some of the methods use LD MS with a time of flight analyzer (TOF) to detect and measure unbound heme, other hemoglobin metabolites and other molecules that have a porphyrin-based structure, e.g., bilirubin, biliverdin, protoporphyrin IX, and Zinc protoporphyrin in the biological sample. In other methods, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) is used to detect and quantify the individual &agr;- and &bgr;-polypeptide chains of hemoglobin.