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 calibrating or optimising an analytical instrument is disclosed that comprises analysing analyte from a sample using an analytical instrument, determining a sample type of the sample based on analysis of analyte from the sample, identifying one or more species of the analyte that are known to be endogenous to the determined sample type, and calibrating or optimising the analytical instrument using the one or more identified endogenous species.

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 detecting one or more compounds, chemicals or contaminants in a substrate by mass spectrometry is disclosed. A non-living substrate is analyzed by contacting the substrate with a diathermy knife. An electric current is applied to the diathermy knife such that the diathermy knife vaporizes a portion of the substrate. The vapor 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 ionized to form analyte ions which are then mass analyzed.

Abstract: A method of ionizing 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: 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 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: 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 of mass spectrometry is disclosed for determining if a mutated variant of a target protein is present in a sample. The method comprises subjecting the sample to fragmentation so as to cause said target protein to fragment to form second generation fragment ions, and then mass analysing these fragment ions to obtain spectral data. The method determines if a mutated variant is present in the sample by determining that an ion in the spectral data has a mass to charge ratio that differs from the mass to charge ratio of an ion that would be observed if said target protein was a normal unmutated version of said target protein, and by an amount that corresponds to a mass difference that would be caused by the target protein being a mutated variant of said target protein. This method of analysing second generation fragment ions if a rapid and efficiency method of analysing a sample.

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: 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: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed wherein the intensity of an analyte is determined by determining the intensity of first characteristic fragment ions when the intensity of the first characteristic fragment ions is within a first intensity range corresponding to the detection or unsaturated range of an ion detector. However, when the intensity of the first characteristic fragment ions is outside of the first intensity range so that the ion detector would saturate then the intensity of the analyte is determined by determining the intensity of second different characteristic fragment ions.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising: performing a survey scan of a plurality of different types of parent or precursor ions, wherein the survey scan comprises analyzing the ion mobilities of the ions and mass analyzing the ions; determining the charge states of parent or precursor ions analyzed in the survey scan based on their determined combinations of ion mobility and mass to charge ratio; selecting a parent or precursor ion for fragmentation or reaction; and fragmenting or reacting the selected ion, wherein the fragmentation or reaction conditions are selected from a plurality of different fragmentation or reaction conditions based upon the determined charge state of the selected ion.

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: 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 ionization device which emits a stream of droplets and one or more ultrasonic transmitters which create one or more acoustic standing waves. The acoustic standing waves may be used to further nebulize the stream of droplets and induce internal mixing of the droplets.

Abstract: A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising: performing a survey scan of a plurality of different types of parent or precursor ions, wherein said survey scan comprises analysing the ion mobilities of the ions and mass analysing the ions; determining the charge states of parent or precursor ions analysed in the survey scan based on their determined combinations of ion mobility and mass to charge ratio; selecting a parent or precursor ion for fragmentation or reaction; and fragmenting or reacting said selected ion, wherein the fragmentation or reaction conditions are selected from a plurality of different fragmentation or reaction conditions based upon the determined charge state of the selected ion.