Abstract: A method of ionising a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.

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: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing implants for surgical procedures. In some implementations, a model that has been trained using data indicating characteristics of other patients and items used in surgeries for the other patients is obtained. Using the model and patient characteristics for a patient, such as the height and weight of the patient, the items needed for a surgery for a particular patient can be identified. For example, the likelihoods that different sizes of an implant component will be needed can be identified and used to determine which sizes of components should be provided at a medical facility and in the operating room for the patient's surgery.

Abstract: A method of ionising a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.

Abstract: A method of analysing a sample is disclosed that comprises activating an electronic cigarette (“e-cigarette”) or other vaporising or atomising device such that the electronic cigarette or other device emits aerosol, smoke, vapour and/or droplets, mass analysing the aerosol, smoke, vapour and/or droplets, and characterising the aerosol, smoke, vapour and/or droplets based on the mass analysis.

Abstract: An ambient ionisation source unit (10) is provided comprising: a housing (12) containing a first device (14) for generating analyte material from a surface of a sample to be analysed and a sampling inlet (16) for receiving analyte material liberated from the surface of the sample. The position(s) of the first device and/or sampling inlet is (are) fixed relative to the housing. Thus, the first device and the sampling inlet are integrated into a single unit that can be installed onto the front-end of an ion analysis instrument with minimal or reduced user interaction.

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 ionising a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

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: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing implants for surgical procedures. In some implementations, a model that has been trained using data indicating characteristics of other patients and items used in surgeries for the other patients is obtained. Using the model and patient characteristics for a patient, such as the height and weight of the patient, the items needed for a surgery for a particular patient can be identified. For example, the likelihoods that different sizes of an implant component will be needed can be identified and used to determine which sizes of components should be provided at a medical facility and in the operating room for the patient's surgery.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises a memory that stores graphics data. The graphics data stored in the memory is accessible using virtual memory addresses that map to physical memory addresses in the memory. The graphics processing system further comprises page merging circuitry configured to use metadata provided for a set of graphics data to determine whether any pages of the set of graphics data are similar to each other. The pages of the set of graphics data that are determined as being similar to each other are merged by mapping the virtual memory addresses for those pages to the same physical memory address in the memory. The page merging process can provide a way to reduce the number of physical memory addresses needed to store the pages of the set of graphics data in the memory.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing implants for surgical procedures. In some implementations, a model that has been trained using data indicating characteristics of other patients and items used in surgeries for the other patients is obtained. Using the model and patient characteristics for a patient, such as the height and weight of the patient, the items needed for a surgery for a particular patient can be identified. For example, the likelihoods that different sizes of an implant component will be needed can be identified and used to determine which sizes of components should be provided at a medical facility and in the operating room for the patient's surgery.

Abstract: A feedback apparatus (22) is provided for use with a system (10) that comprises an analyser (16) and a sampling device (12). The feedback apparatus (22) comprises a receiver (20) that receives from the analyser 16 information relating to a sample obtained using the sampling device (12). The feedback apparatus (22) comprises a feedback device that provides an indication based on the information to an operator (14) of the sampling device (2) whilst the sampling device (12) is within the operator's visual field.

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: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: A method of ionising a sample is provided, comprising providing a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample contains an analyte, applying one or more pulses of acoustic energy to the fluid sample to cause a spray of the fluid sample to eject from the surface of the fluid sample, and applying an AC, RF or alternating voltage to the fluid sample using an electrode.

Abstract: An ion source for a mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an ultrasonic transducer which focuses ultrasonic energy onto a surface of a sample fluid without directly contacting the sample fluid.

Abstract: A method of detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analysed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporises a portion of the substrate. The vapour is aspirated via a sampling tube pumped by a venturi pump into a vacuum chamber of a mass spectrometer. Analyte molecules are aspirated into the vacuum chamber whereupon they impact a surface of the vacuum chamber and are ionised to form analyte ions which are then mass analysed.