A method of performing mass spectrometry includes accumulating, over an accumulation time, ions produced from components eluting from a chromatography column and transferring the accumulated ions to a mass analyzer. During an acquisition, a mass spectrum of detected ions derived from the transferred ions is acquired. An elution profile is obtained from a series of acquired mass spectra including the acquired mass spectrum and a plurality of previously-acquired mass spectra. The elution profile includes a plurality of detection points representing intensity of the detected ions as a function of time. A current signal state of the elution profile is classified based on a subset of detection points included in the plurality of detection points. The accumulation time for a next acquisition of a mass spectrum is set based on the classified current signal state of the elution profile.

A method of quantifying a target analyte by mass spectrometry includes obtaining a mass spectrometer signal comprising a first calibrator signal, comprising a second calibrator signal, and potentially comprising a target analyte signal from a single sample comprising a first known quantity of a first calibrator, comprising a second known quantity of a second calibrator, and potentially comprising a target analyte. The first known quantity and the second known quantity are different, and wherein the first calibrator, the second calibrator, and the target analyte are each distinguishable in the single sample by mass spectrometry. The method also includes quantifying the target analyte in the single sample using the first calibrator signal, the second calibrator signal, and the target analyte signal.

Disclosed is a device for a solid phase extraction comprising two or more of the sorbents to remove phospholipids and salts from a sample, to thereby eliminate matrix effects during mass spectrometry analysis. In particular, the sorbents includes at least one sorbent which is water-wettable and contains at least one hydrophobic component and at least one hydrophilic component and at least one of sorbent having a specific affinity for a matrix interference like phospholipids. Further disclosed is a method using the device of the present invention.

The invention discussed in this application relates to vitamin B12-based compounds that are useful as quantitative standards, particularly for the assessment of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Provided is a method for introducing into a probe 22 an eluate eluted from a component separation unit 14 that temporally separates components contained in a liquid sample, for obtaining charged particles, and for delivering the charged particles to a charged particle analysis unit 30 provided at a subsequent stage through a charged particle introduction opening 23, comprising steps of: supplying a gasification promoting gas for promoting gasification of the eluate and applying a predetermined charged-particle obtaining voltage to the probe 22 while the eluate is being introduced into the probe 22; and hindering the eluate nebulized by the probe 22 from moving toward the ion introduction opening 2 only in a time period other than a time period in which a target-component containing eluate is introduced into the probe 22.

A device for separating analytes is disclosed. The device has a sample injector, sample injection needle, sample reservoir container in communication with the sample injector, chromatography column downstream of the sample injector, and fluid conduits connecting the sample injector and the column. The interior surfaces of the fluid conduits, sample injector, sample reservoir container, and column form a flow path having wetted surfaces. A portion of the wetted surfaces of the flow path are coated with an alkylsilyl coating that is inert to at least one of the analytes. The alkylsilyl coating has the Formula I: ##STR00001##
R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 are each independently selected from (C.sub.1-C.sub.6)alkoxy, —NH(C.sub.1-C.sub.6)alkyl, —N((C.sub.1-C.sub.6)alkyl).sub.2, OH, OR.sup.A, and halo. R.sup.A represents a point of attachment to the interior surfaces of the fluidic system. At least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 is OR.sup.A. X is (C.sub.1-C.sub.20)alkyl, —O[(CH.sub.2).sub.2O].sub.1-20—, —(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)[NH(CO)NH(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)].sub.1-20—, or —(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)[alkylphenyl(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)alkyl].sub.1-20-.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for sample analysis using swabs. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems that include a probe having a conductive proximal portion coupled to a porous material at a distal portion of the probe that is configured to retain a portion of a sample that has contacted the porous material, and a mass spectrometer having an inlet. The system is configured such that the porous material at a distal portion of the probe is aligned over the inlet of the mass spectrometer.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for sample analysis using swabs. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems that include a probe having a conductive proximal portion coupled to a porous material at a distal portion of the probe that is configured to retain a portion of a sample that has contacted the porous material, and a mass spectrometer having an inlet. The system is configured such that the porous material at a distal portion of the probe is aligned over the inlet of the mass spectrometer.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: (a) using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target in vitro or ex vivo cell population; (b) mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and (c) analysing said spectrometric data in order to identify and/or characterise said target cell population or one or more cells and/or compounds present in said target cell population.

Systems and methods are provided for microbial identification using cleavable tags. Control information is sent to a mass spectrometer to fragment one or more nucleic acid primers labeled with a first tag and monitor for an intensity of the first tag in a mass spectrometry (MS) method. An ion source provides a beam of ions from a polymerase chain reaction amplified sample that includes one or more nucleic acid primers labeled with the first tag. The first tag binds to one or more nucleic acid primers of a known microbe and is cleaved from the nucleic acid primers during the MS method. The mass spectrometer receives the beam of ions and is adapted to perform the MS method on the beam of ions. If the intensity of the first tag received from the mass spectrometer exceeds a threshold value, the known microbe is identified in the sample.