A system is provided for detecting the mass of oil in an inorganic mineral of shale. The system operates by performing an extraction test on a first shale sample by using chloroform to obtain a total content of shale oil in the shale; enriching kerogen from the second shale sample to obtain dry kerogen; and performing an extraction test on oven-dried kerogen by using chloroform to determine the mass of extracted kerogen. The system also operates by determining the mass of the oil in the organic matter of the shale sample and the mass of the oil in an inorganic mineral of the shale; establishing a model for predicting a ratio of the mass of the oil in the inorganic mineral of the shale to the mass of the oil in the organic matter; and using the prediction model to determine the mass of oil in an inorganic mineral.

The present invention relates to: a pancreatic cancer diagnostic biomarker comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of Interleukin-28 (IL-28), Interleukin-29 (IL-29) and genes encoding same; a composition for diagnosing pancreatic cancer, comprising a preparation capable of detecting the biomarker; and a pancreatic cancer diagnostic method using the composition, and the present invention is to be used in a blood-derived buffy coat sample.

A method for preparing an intermediate by a reduced glutathione-indicated amino acid Maillard reaction is provided. The method includes a two-stage reaction at an increased temperature. A reduced glutathione is added after different times of a low-temperature reaction, and a subsequent Maillard reaction is effectively inhibited on a basis wherein a substance is interacted with an intermediate degradation product to reduce a formation of colored substances. Comparing with a browning of Maillard products after a high-temperature stage, a reaction time with a best color inhibition effect is found to be the optimal preparation condition of the intermediate, and the intermediate is prepared in an aqueous medium at a low temperature under this optimal preparation condition. The method uses the water soluble reduced glutathione as a tracer to improve a tracing accuracy comparing to cysteine.

The invention relates to a device and method for in situ temperature-induced antigen retrieval of samples wherein all steps are performed under a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure on a sample immobilized on a sample support which can be further subjected to staining and imaging on the same sample support, optionally by cycle multiplexing that enables imaging of various molecular targets through multi-molecular read-outs on the same sample in a rapid, highly sensitive and reliable manner

Sampling probe devices, systems and methods for sampling frozen or solid meltable products. Such systems can include a heating element for placing against the frozen or solid product and a sampler with a cover fabricated at least partly from a microbial sampling medium so the cover absorbs a liquid sample from the product. Methods of sampling include heating the product and contacting the product with the cover until sufficient liquid sample is absorbed by the cover of the sampler. The cover can be weighed after sampling and compared to a before-sampling weight to confirm sufficient liquid was obtained. The sample can be tested as an aggregate sample that is representative of the lot or batch of product being sampled, including testing without an enrichment procedure. Systems utilizing automated heated-sampling plates and radiative heaters are also described.

A collection device for a biological sample to capture target compounds such as viruses or other pathogens or particles for testing from within the sample and move the captured target compound to a separate chamber for subsequent processing. The collection device can include an openable substance blister including capture particles located in a cup interior. Capture particles can attract and bind the target compounds from the sample. An extraction tube extracts any nucleic acid from the target compound for storage or subsequent amplification and testing to confirm presence of known microorganisms. The extraction tube can comprise a heat-deformable material and can be connected to a microfluidic cartridge for further processing of nucleic acid including, amplification and detection. The microfluidic cartridge includes valves and a plurality of chambers for amplification.

It can sometimes be difficult to quantify the amount of polymer present in a subterranean treatment fluid, particularly at a job site. Methods for analyzing a treatment fluid for a polymer can comprise: receiving a sample of a treatment fluid comprising a nitrogen-containing polymer; placing the sample of the treatment fluid and an aqueous base in an oilfield retort; heating the sample of the treatment fluid and the aqueous base together in the oilfield retort at least until the nitrogen-containing polymer has been substantially hydrolyzed to one or more volatile nitrogen compounds; distilling the one or more volatile nitrogen compounds from the oilfield retort; and determining a quantity of the nitrogen-containing polymer in the sample of the treatment fluid based upon a quantity of the one or more volatile nitrogen compounds distilled from the oilfield retort. Analyses of other nitrogen-containing compounds may take place similarly.

An evaporation closed chamber for detecting hazardous substance, having a closed chamber, an orifice plate, a pressure plate, a drive device and an elastic film, the orifice plate is mounted on any surface(s) of the closed chamber, the elastic film is arranged on the outer side of the orifice plate, the pressure plate is arranged on the outer side of the elastic film, and the drive device is in transmission connection with the pressure plate to drive the pressure plate to move forwards and backwards to press the elastic film against the orifice plate. The elastic film expands with the increase of internal temperature of the closed chamber and shrinks with the temperature decrease of the closed chamber such that the gas in the closed chamber can be timely compensated; the orifice plate prevents hazardous substance from leaving on the gas compensation device to influence test accuracy.

The invention provides a sample preparation method (100) comprising: providing a sample (10) comprising an organic molecule (20), wherein the organic molecule (20) comprises a target group (21), wherein the target group (21) is a nucleophilic group and/or an acidic group; a derivatization stage (110) comprising: derivatizing the target group (21) of the organic molecule (20) with a moiety (31) comprising one or more of (i) a hydrocarbon comprising group and (ii) a 3rd period atom comprising group, wherein the 3rd period atom is selected from the group consisting of Si, P, and S, thereby providing a derivatized organic molecule (30); a separation stage (120) comprising: subjecting the sample (10) to a separation process to provide a fraction (35) comprising the derivatized organic molecule (30); and a preparation stage (130) comprising: introducing the derivatized organic molecule (30) into a porous single crystal (40), to provide a derivatized organic molecule doped porous single crystal (50).

A method and an aircraft air contaminant analyzer for determining and classifying air contaminants, providing a sample flow path and bypass flow path bypassing the sample flow path, are disclosed, the analyzer comprising a contaminant collector comprising a medium desorbing captured contaminants, the collector providing a first sample flow path; a heater vaporizing captured contaminants; a bypass comprising a channel including a second sample flow path, the channel bypassing the collector; a sensor responding when air contaminant mass is added to or removed from the sensor, for classifying contaminant type; the sensor receiving contaminants desorbed from the medium; a frequency measurement device measuring the response generated by the sensor as the air contaminant is added to and removed from the sensor; a computer readable medium bearing a contaminant recognition program and calibration data; and, a processor executing the program, the program including a module classifying the contaminant by type.