Abstract: A method for ionizing gaseous samples by dielectric barrier discharge and for subsequently analyzing the produced sample ions in an analysis appliance, in particular a mass spectrometer or an ion mobility spectrometer, produces the sample ions by a plasma caused by a dielectric barrier discharge, wherein the dielectric barrier discharge is produced by virtue of a plasma gas being supplied through a capillary made of a dielectric material, wherein a wire-shaped electrode is arranged within the capillary, the electrode being connected to an AC voltage source, wherein the gaseous sample is supplied to the exit region of the capillary, wherein the wire-shaped electrode is connected to the AC voltage source on the high-voltage side.

Abstract: A method for ionizing gaseous samples by dielectric barrier discharge and for subsequently analyzing the produced sample ions in an analysis appliance, in particular a mass spectrometer or an ion mobility spectrometer, produces the sample ions by a plasma caused by a dielectric barrier discharge, wherein the dielectric barrier discharge is produced by virtue of a plasma gas being supplied through a capillary made of a dielectric material, wherein a wire-shaped electrode is arranged within the capillary, the electrode being connected to an AC voltage source, wherein the gaseous sample is supplied to the exit region of the capillary, wherein the wire-shaped electrode is connected to the AC voltage source on the high-voltage side.

Abstract: A method of processing a mammogram image to derive a value for a parameter useful in detecting differences in breast tissue in subsequent images of the same breast or relative to a control group of such images, said derived parameter being an aggregate probability score reflecting the probability of the image being a member of a predefined class of mammogram images, comprises computing for each of a multitude of pixels within a large region of interest within the image a pixel probability score assigned by a trained statistical classifier according to the probability of said pixel belonging to an image belonging to said class, said pixel probability being calculated on the basis of a selected plurality of features of said pixels, and computing said parameter by aggregating the pixel probability scores over said region of interest. Saud features may include the 3-jet of said pixels.