Abstract: A differential ion mobility spectrometry or field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) platform is disclosed that utilizes both gas flow and electric field, consecutively or simultaneously, to move ions through the analytical gap. The consecutive combination of flow and field enables rapid and flexible switching of the FAIMS stage “on” (for ion separation) and “off” (for high non-selective transmission) with no hardware modifications. This capability is needed for effective use of multidimensional instrument systems that couple FAIMS to mass spectrometry and/or conventional ion mobility spectrometry. The joint application of flow and field allows controlling the discrimination against high-mobility ions, maximizing it to remove the chemical noise or minimizing it to make the analyses of complex samples more predictable and uniform.

Abstract: A folding or stacking chair has a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides each with a backrest support, a front leg and a rear leg. One or both of the seat and the backrest has a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic knitted mesh or patterned open texture plastic held across and substantially covering an opening in an open-end hoop coupled between the frame sides. An open-end of the hoop faces in a front or a back orientation for the seat, or a top or a bottom orientation for the backrest, with sides of the hoop attached to the frame sides. The sheet of mesh or textured plastic has a finished edge spanning the open-end of the hoop.

Abstract: A method of predicting whether a peptide present in a biological sample will be detected by analysis with a mass spectrometer. The method uses at least one mass spectrometer to perform repeated analysis of a sample containing peptides from proteins with known amino acids. The method then generates a data set of peptides identified as contained within the sample by the repeated analysis. The method then calculates the probability that a specific peptide in the data set was detected in the repeated analysis. The method then creates a plurality of vectors, where each vector has a plurality of dimensions, and each dimension represents a property of one or more of the amino acids present in each peptide and adjacent peptides in the data set. Using these vectors, the method then generates an algorithm from the plurality of vectors and the calculated probabilities that specific peptides in the data set were detected in the repeated analysis.

Abstract: A clamping joint for a chair includes a joint coupling a front leg and a rear leg to the seat at an overlap with an inner clamp coupled to the seat and an outer clamp coupled to the inner clamp with the front leg and the rear leg clamped between the inner and outer clamps at the overlap. A finger on one of the inner or outer clamps extends towards the other and disposed between the front and rear legs.

Abstract: A folding mesh chair includes a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides. The chair has an unfolded seating position in which the seat pivots to extend from the frame sides and bottoms of front and rear legs move apart, and a folded position in which the seat pivots toward the frame sides and the front and rear legs move together. One or both of the seat and the backrest have a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic mesh or patterned open texture plastic held across and substantially covering an opening in an all-plastic hoop fixed between the frame sides. The hoop includes inner and outer plastic mating hoops with the mesh extending over an outer perimeter of the inner hoop and into an interface between the inner and outer hoops.

Abstract: A folding mesh chair includes a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides. The chair has an unfolded seating position in which the seat pivots to extend from the frame sides and bottoms of front and rear legs move apart, and a folded position in which the seat pivots toward the frame sides and the front and rear legs move together. One or both of the seat and the backrest have a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic mesh or patterned open texture plastic held across and substantially covering an opening in an all-plastic hoop fixed between the frame sides.

Abstract: A stackable chair has a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides each with a backrest support, a front leg and a rear leg. One or both of the seat and the backrest have a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic mesh or patterned open texture plastic held across and substantially covering an opening in an all-plastic hoop fixed between the frame sides.

Abstract: A folding mesh chair includes a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides. The chair has an unfolded seating position in which the seat pivots to extend from the frame sides and bottoms of front and rear legs move apart, and a folded position in which the seat pivots toward the frame sides and the front and rear legs move together. One or both of the seat and the backrest have a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic mesh or patterned open texture plastic held across and substantially covering an opening in an all-plastic hoop fixed between the frame sides.

Abstract: A folding and stacking chair system includes a plurality of folding and stacking chairs having an unfolded seating position in which the chairs are configured for sitting upon, and a folded and stacked position in which the chairs are folded and stacked together. Each chair has a seat and a backrest carried between opposite frame sides each with a backrest support, a front leg and a rear leg. The seat and the backrest each have a continuous sheet of flexible and elastic mesh or patterned open texture plastic held between the backrest supports of the frame sides.

Abstract: A method for predicting the elution time of a peptide in chromatographic and electrophoretic separations by first providing a data set of known elution times of known peptides, then creating a plurality of vectors, each vector having a plurality of dimensions, and each dimension representing positional information about at least a portion of the amino acids present in the known peptides. A hypothetical vector is then created by assigning dimensional values for at least one hypothetical peptide, and a predicted elution time for the hypothetical vector is created by performing at least one multivariate regression fitting the hypothetical peptide to the plurality of vectors. Preferably, the multivariate regression is accomplished by the use of an artificial neural network and the elution times are first normalized using linear regression.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed that provide up to complete transmission of ions between coupled stages with low effective ion losses. A novel “interfaceless” electrospray ionization system is further described that operates the electrospray at a reduced pressure such that standard electrospray sample solutions can be directly sprayed into an electrodynamic ion funnel which provides ion focusing and transmission of ions into a mass analyzer.

Abstract: A tabletop formed from slats for use in rigid, light-weight tables, such as portable banquet tables. The tabletop includes a center section formed from a plurality of open-channel, rectangular tubular slats that are laterally coupled together. Each slat has a top wall that aligns with top walls to form the upper working surface of the tabletop. Each slat also has downwardly-projecting sidewalls and a bottom wall with a longitudinal slot running the length of the slat to form the rectangular, downwardly-orientated channel. The adjacent contacting sidewalls of adjacent slats coupled together to form substantially vertical support beams. The tabletop further includes a pair of elongate end caps disposed on opposite ends and spanning the plurality of slats of the center section, with each end cap having a plurality of finger pairs extending into the plurality of slats with a center slot the receives a support beam therein.

Abstract: An ion funnel trap is described that includes a inlet portion, a trapping portion, and a outlet portion that couples, in normal operation, with an ion funnel. The ion trap operates efficiently at a pressure of ˜1 Torr and provides for: 1) removal of low mass-to-charge (m/z) ion species, 2) ion accumulation efficiency of up to 80%, 3) charge capacity of ˜10,000,000 elementary charges, 4) ion ejection time of 40 to 200 ?s, and 5) optimized variable ion accumulation times. Ion accumulation with low concentration peptide mixtures has shown an increase in analyte signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of a factor of 30, and a greater than 10-fold improvement in SNR for multiply charged analytes.

Abstract: A method for identifying persons with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus utilizing selected biomarkers described hereafter either alone or in combination. The present invention allows for broad based, reliable, screening of large population bases and provides other advantages, including the formulation of effective strategies for characterizing, archiving, and contrasting data from multiple sample types under varying conditions.

Abstract: A solution-phase digestion process is described. Intact proteins are digested to obtain parent peptides, which are separated and subsequently mass analyzed. Individual parent peptides are digested to obtain daughter peptides, which are also subsequently mass analyzed. Accurate mass data obtained from mass analysis of both parent and daughter peptides are correlated with separations data obtained during separation of the parent peptides to provide peptide identification. The process is expected to provide unique peptides by which to identify intact proteins in a sample without need for MS/MS gas-phase fragmentation.

Abstract: A joint between a leg and an elevated platform includes a tapered receptacle with straight widening walls coupled to one of either the leg or the platform. A mating insert is coupled to the other of the leg or the platform and is selectively insertable into the tapered receptacle. The mating insert has straight narrowing walls that are engageable with the widening walls of the tapered receptacle. The weight of the platform pushes the insert into the receptacle such that the narrowing walls of the insert engage the widening walls of the tapered receptacle.

Abstract: Systems and methods that provide up to complete transmission of ions between coupled stages with low effective ion losses. An “interfaceless” electrospray ionization system is further described that operates an electrospray at a reduced pressure such that standard electrospray sample solutions can be directly sprayed into an electrodynamic ion funnel which provides ion focusing and transmission of ions into a mass analyzer. Furthermore, chambers maintained at different pressures can allow for more optimal operating conditions for an electrospray emitter and an ion guide.

Abstract: A tamper resistant attachment apparatus for attaching a backrest to a chair frame. A flap is foldably coupled to an edge of a chair backrest. The flap is foldable over onto the backrest into a folded position. The flap has a channel that fits around a frame of a chair when the flap is in the folded position. At least one aperture that extends through the flap can receive a corresponding pin that is coupled to the backrest when the flap is in the folded position. The at least one pin is deformable to secure the flap and backrest around the chair frame when the flap is in the folded position.

Abstract: Electrospray ionization emitter arrays, as well as methods for forming electrosprays, are described. The arrays are characterized by a radial configuration of three or more nano-electrospray ionization emitters without an extractor electrode. The methods are characterized by distributing fluid flow of the liquid sample among three or more nano-electrospray ionization emitters, forming an electrospray at outlets of the emitters without utilizing an extractor electrode, and directing the electrosprays into an entrance to a mass spectrometry device. Each of the nano-electrospray ionization emitters can have a discrete channel for fluid flow. The nano-electrospray ionization emitters are circularly arranged such that each is shielded substantially equally from an electrospray-inducing electric field.