The invention relates to a method for the preparation of living, microbial samples and microorganisms for subsequent mass spectrometric measurement and evaluation. Findings which can be derived from such a measurement can particularly serve the faster identification of microorganisms in the microbial sample according to species/subspecies and/or the fast determination of resistance/sensitivity of the micro-organisms to antimicrobial substances and/or the further characterization of microorganisms, for example in respect of pathogenicity, virulence and metabolism. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the preparation particularly takes place directly on a mass spectrometric sample support.

This document provides materials and methods for identifying and quantifying AIM polypeptides in a sample using mass spectrometry techniques. For example, methods of using mass spectrometry to identify and quantify AIM polypeptides in a serum sample are provided. In some cases, quantification of AIM polypeptides can be used to diagnose and/or treat patients having a disease or disorder characterized by altered (e.g., increased or decreased) AIM polypeptide levels.

The production and use of semiconducting nanopost arrays made by nanofabrication is described herein. These nanopost arrays (NAPA) provide improved laser ionization yields and controllable fragmentation with switching or modulation capabilities for mass spectrometric detection and identification of samples deposited on them.

Described herein are methods for identification/discovery of protein biomarkers for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diagnosing and/or prognosing and/or predicting progression of and/or treating chronic kidney disease (CKD).

A method for a pre-symptomatic diagnosis of a viral illness in a subject is provided. The method may include obtaining a biological sample that includes at least one peripheral blood mononuclear cell from a subject prior to the subject experiencing any symptoms associated with the viral illness. The method may further include extracting proteins from the biological sample. The method may also include analyzing the extracted proteins, via mass spectrometry, for the presence of a predefined viral protein biomarker associated with the viral illness. If the predefined viral protein biomarker is present, the subject is diagnosed with the viral illness prior to experiencing the symptoms associated with the viral illness.

The invention relates to a method for identifying unknown microbes in a sample, wherein a mass spectrometric determination down to the taxonomic level of the genus or species is supplemented by a detailed determination of a lower taxonomic level or variety by means of infrared spectrometry, using restricted reference libraries of infrared spectra. These libraries can be genus-specific, containing only infrared spectra of microbes of one genus, or species-specific, containing only infrared spectra of microbes of one species. In so doing, a robust mass spectrometric identification of the species of unknown microbes is advantageously supplemented with a detailed analysis of the subspecies and varieties by means of infrared spectrometry, primarily in order to identify medically important varieties such as pathovars like EHEC and EPEC, and antibiotic-resistant microbes like MRSA.

A method of spectrometric analysis comprises obtaining one or more sample spectra for an aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The one or more sample spectra are subjected to pre-processing and then multivariate and/or library based analysis so as to classify the aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The results of the analysis are used for various surgical or non-surgical applications.

An apparatus is disclosed comprising a first device for generating aerosol, smoke or vapour from one or more regions of a target, an inlet conduit to an ion analyser or mass spectrometer, the inlet conduit having an inlet through which the aerosol, smoke or vapour passes, and a Venturi pump arrangement arranged and adapted to direct the aerosol, smoke or vapour towards the inlet.

Methods are described for determining the amount of insulin in a sample. More specifically, mass spectrometric methods are described for detecting and quantifying insulin in a biological sample utilizing purification methods coupled with tandem mass spectrometric or high resolution/high accuracy mass spectrometric techniques.

Provided are processes for the use of a single dried blood sample for the preparation of test samples including targets of differing structures. The processes allow the same dried blood sample to be used for preparation of a first test sample including a non-nucleic acid target, and the same dried blood sample to be subsequently processed for preparation of a test sample that includes a nucleic acid target whereby the processes preserve the ability of the nucleic acid to be detected in subsequent detection assays following prior isolation of non-nucleic acid targets.