A gas chromatography (GC) column heating apparatus is described. The GC column heating apparatus includes a first substrate; a heating element disposed over the first substrate; and a second substrate. A gas chromatography (GC) column heating and cooling apparatus is also described. The GC column cooling and heating apparatus includes a housing configured to receive a heating apparatus, the heating apparatus comprising a first side and a second side; a first thermal insulation layer disposed over the first side; a second thermal insulation layer disposed over the second side; and an actuator connected to the housing and configured to move the first and second thermal insulation layers in contact with the first and second sides, respectively, during a heating sequence, and to move the first and second layers of insulation out of contact with the first and second sides, respectively, during a cooling sequence.

Plasma-assisted reaction chemical ionization (PARCI) provides highly sensitive elemental analysis by producing positively and negatively charged ions. The PARCI apparatuses, kits, and methods described in this application relate to systems that comprise a chemical reaction interface (CRI) containing reactant gas plasma and an ionization chamber that is downstream from the CRI. The ionization chamber facilitates formation of ions from element-specific products of the CRI by an electron source or an ionization gas. In particular, PARCI provides a method for conducting highly sensitive mass spectrometric elemental analysis of analyte compounds with high ionization potential elements; for example, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine.

The present application relates to a method of characterizing an agent's ability to increase insulin secretion in a subject. The method comprises determining whether the agent is able to modulate MAG level at the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane of a cell and/or ABHD6 activity. The agent is characterized as having the ability to increase insulin secretion in the subject when it is capable of upregulating MAG level at the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane and/or downregulating ABHD6 activity.

The present application relates to a method of characterizing an agent's ability to increase insulin secretion in a subject. The method comprises determining whether the agent is able to modulate MAG level at the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane of a cell and/or ABHD6 activity. The agent is characterized as having the ability to increase insulin secretion in the subject when it is capable of upregulating MAG level at the inner surface of the cytoplasmic membrane and/or downregulating ABHD6 activity.

A chromatography device having a housing formed from an upper housing ultrasonically welded to a lower housing. A compression extension and a boss located inside of the housing with the media disposed between the compression extension and the boss such that a perimeter of the media is compressed between the compression extension and the boss forming a liquid impermeable seal along the perimeter after the upper housing is ultrasonically welded to the lower housing.

A device for automated characterization of radioactive analytes that provides an integrated system with liquid handling and plate reading components. The device can be further configured to include a chromatographic subsystem. Also provided is a method of using such a device, providing addition of a radioactive sample and a sequence of operations involving the abovementioned components of the system. The system is configured with radiation shielding in such a way that manipulations of radioactive samples do not interfere with concurrent radioactive measurements.

A device for automated characterization of radioactive analytes that provides an integrated system with liquid handling and plate reading components. The device can be further configured to include a chromatographic subsystem. Also provided is a method of using such a device, providing addition of a radioactive sample and a sequence of operations involving the abovementioned components of the system. The system is configured with radiation shielding in such a way that manipulations of radioactive samples do not interfere with concurrent radioactive measurements.

A thin-layer chromatography device can be used to determine or select a surfactant solution for use during hydrocarbon-fluid production operations. The thin-layer chromatography device can include a chamber that can receive a surfactant solution that includes a surfactant and a fluid. The thin-layer chromatography device can also include a substrate that can be coated with a layer of adsorbent material to form a thin-layer substrate and a hydrocarbon fluid can be disposed on the thin-layer substrate. The thin-layer substrate, along with the hydrocarbon fluid, can be positioned within the chamber to determine a mobility index of the hydrocarbon fluid when the hydrocarbon fluid contacts the surfactant solution. The mobility index can indicate an eluting capability of the surfactant solution with respect to the hydrocarbon fluid and can be used to select the surfactant solution to be injected into a wellbore that includes the hydrocarbon fluid to enhance hydrocarbon-fluid production operations.

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to chromatography systems that include a microfluidic device configured to provide three-way switching or switching between three or more inputs or outputs. The microfluidic device can be fluidically coupled to one or more switching valves to provide for selective control of fluid flow in the chromatography system.

An object of the present disclosure is to find a method in which a result of liquid chromatography can be predicted with high accuracy for a wide range of a mixing ratio of solvents by utilizing a result of thin-layer chromatography.

A liquid chromatography method for separating a mixture of two or more kinds of compounds, comprising the following steps: (1) performing thin-layer chromatography or column chromatography in a mixed solvent of two or more kinds of solvents having a different mixing ratio from each other or a single solvent; (2) creating a relational expression between a mixing ratio and an elution degree of a solvent for each compound in a sample based on a result of the step (1); and (3) determining an optimum condition based on the relational expression, and performing liquid chromatography.