Abstract: The invention generally relates to apparatuses for focusing ions at or above ambient pressure and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an apparatus for focusing ions that includes an electrode having a cavity, at least one inlet within the electrode configured to operatively couple with an ionization source, such that discharge generated by the ionization source is injected into the cavity of the electrode, and an outlet. The cavity in the electrode is shaped such that upon application of voltage to the electrode, ions within the cavity are focused and directed to the outlet, which is positioned such that a proximal end of the outlet receives the focused ions and a distal end of the outlet is open to ambient pressure.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to mass tag analysis for rare cells and cell free molecules. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an apparatus including an essentially non-absorbent membrane having at least one pore, a microwell operably associated with the essentially non-absorbent membrane, and an electric field generator. The apparatus may be configured such that an electric field produced by the electric field generator operably interacts with a sample in the microwell and expels a droplet of the sample through the at least one pore in the essentially non-absorbent membrane. In certain embodiments, apparatuses of the invention are used for detection, and optionally quantification, of a target analyte from a heterogeneous sample, such as a rare target analyte (e.g., rare cell) from a biological sample.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for separating ions at about or above atmospheric pressure. In certain embodiments, the invention provides systems that include an ionization source that generates ions and an ion trap. The ion trap is maintained at about or above atmospheric pressure and includes a plurality of electrodes and at least one inlet configured to receive a gas flow and at least one outlet. The system is configured such that a combination of a gas flow and one or more electric fields produced by the electrodes separates the ions based on mass-to-charge ratio and sends the separated ions through the at least one outlet of the ion trap.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to electrophoretic mass spectrometry probes and systems and methods of uses thereof. In certain aspects, the invention provides a mass spectrometry probe having a hollow body with a distal tip, an electrically conductive hollow conduit, and an electrode. The electrically conductive hollow conduit may be operably coupled to a reservoir and a power source, and the electrically conductive hollow conduit may be configured to transport a liquid sample into the hollow body and polarize the liquid sample as it flows through the electrically conductive hollow conduit and into in the hollow body. The electrode and the electrically conductive hollow conduit are disposed within the hollow body (e.g., at different heights within the hollow body).

Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for conducting reactions and screening for reaction products.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to logical operations in mass spectrometry. The system comprising a mass spectrometer comprising one or more ion traps; and a central processing unit (CPU), and storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to apply one or more scan functions to the one or more ion traps, the scan functions being combine together.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to conducting reactions in Leidenfrost-levitated droplets.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for generating network security policies for different versions of a component of an application deployed in a computing environment where the different versions have potentially different network requirements and the different versions operate together at the same time in the computing environment. The disclosed techniques include capabilities for enabling different versions of a component of a containerized application to co-exist at the same time on different computing nodes in a cluster of nodes in a containerized environment that deploys and executes the application. The techniques additionally include capabilities for enabling different network policies to be generated for the different versions of the component, where each component has potentially different network requirements. The techniques provide a mechanism to create precise, per-component network policies, while respecting the overall coarse-grained policies of the containerized application.

Abstract: An electronic gaming console includes a first control device including a first button, a second control device including a second button, a tube connecting the first control device to the second control device, the tube comprising a plurality of lights within an interior of the tube, a memory; and a controller. The controller can be configured to receive one or more sets of instructions from a user device, store the sets of instructions in the memory, receive a first input from the first button and a second input from the second button; and control illumination of the plurality of lights based on at least one of the sets of instructions, and at least one of the first input or the second input.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to mass tag analysis for rare cells and cell free molecules. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an apparatus including an essentially non-absorbent membrane having at least one pore, a microwell operably associated with the essentially non-absorbent membrane, and an electric field generator. The apparatus may be configured such that an electric field produced by the electric field generator operably interacts with a sample in the microwell and expels a droplet of the sample through the at least one pore in the essentially non-absorbent membrane. In certain embodiments, apparatuses of the invention are used for detection, and optionally quantification, of a target analyte from a heterogeneous sample, such as a rare target analyte (e.g., rare cell) from a biological sample.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to high-throughput label-free enzymatic bioassays using desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS).

Abstract: The invention generally relates to systems and methods for isolating a target ion in an ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer having an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to apply a dual frequency waveform to the ion trap that ejects non-target ions from the ion trap while retaining a target ion in the ion trap.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to apparatuses for focusing ions at or above ambient pressure and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an apparatus for focusing ions that includes an electrode having a cavity, at least one inlet within the electrode configured to operatively couple with an ionization source, such that discharge generated by the ionization source is injected into the cavity of the electrode, and an outlet. The cavity in the electrode is shaped such that upon application of voltage to the electrode, ions within the cavity are focused and directed to the outlet, which is positioned such that a proximal end of the outlet receives the focused ions and a distal end of the outlet is open to ambient pressure.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to high-throughput label-free enzymatic bioassays using desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS).

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer is described, including a piezoelectric element, a fluid medium contact layer, a matching layer between the piezoelectric element and the fluid medium contact layer, and a backing layer. Ultrasound sensor devices utilising the ultrasonic transducer are also described, for use in systems for analysing a fluid such as milk.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to apparatuses for focusing ions at or above ambient pressure and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an apparatus for focusing ions that includes an electrode having a cavity, at least one inlet within the electrode configured to operatively couple with an ionization source, such that discharge generated by the ionization source is injected into the cavity of the electrode, and an outlet. The cavity in the electrode is shaped such that upon application of voltage to the electrode, ions within the cavity are focused and directed to the outlet, which is positioned such that a proximal end of the outlet receives the focused ions and a distal end of the outlet is open to ambient pressure.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to conducting reactions in Leidenfrost-levitated droplets.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to sample analysis systems and methods of use thereof. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample that includes an ion generator configured to generate ions from a sample. The system additionally includes an ion separator configured to separate at or above atmospheric pressure the ions received from the ion generator without use of laminar flowing gas, and a detector that receives and detects the separated ions.

Abstract: Optical fiber connections and their applications in downhole assemblies are described herein. The downhole assembly includes a well completion element with an end that couples with a corresponding well completion element. An optical fiber extends along at least a portion of the well completion element and transmits an optical signal using a first mode. The well completion element includes an optical fiber connector that is coupled to the optical fiber. The connector also includes a mode converter that receives the optical signal from the optical fiber and converts the optical signal from the first mode to a second larger mode. This second larger mode may be more robustly communicated to a corresponding optical fiber connector affixed to the corresponding well completion element.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for query processing system that can, when queried, generate a result related to one or more connectivity paths and/or one or more network security rules. Network security rules and connectivity paths may be stored in corresponding data structures (e.g., sets of attributes) that may be utilized with a number of set operations. The user may issue a query requesting the system to apply a rule to a path, a set of rules to a set of paths, to identify if one set of rule(s) are equivalent to another set of rule(s), and the like. Utilizing this query processing system can enable a user to identify effects of one or more network rules with respect to traffic being allowed or restricted along particular connectivity paths between components of the system.