Orders of Magnitude Extension of the Effective Dynamic Range of TDC-Based TOFMS Data Through Maximum Likelihood Estimation

In a recent article, we derived a probability distribution that was shown to closely approximate that of the data produced by liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOFMS) instruments employing time-to-digital converters (TDCs) as part of their detection system. The approach of formulating detailed and highly accurate mathematical models of LC/MS data via probability distributions that are parameterized by quantities of analytical interest does not appear to have been fully explored before. However, we believe it could lead to a statistically rigorous framework for addressing many of the data analytical problems that arise in LC/MS studies. In this article, we present new procedures for correcting for TDC saturation using such an approach and demonstrate that there is potential for significant improvements in the effective dynamic range of TDC-based mass spectrometers, which could make them much more competitive with the alternative analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The degree of improvement depends on our ability to generate mass and chromatographic peaks that conform to known mathematical functions and our ability to accurately describe the state of the detector dead time—tasks that may be best addressed through engineering efforts. [Image: see text] ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13361-014-0961-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Demokratische Politik in der internationalisierten Ökonomie

Demokratische Politik und kapitalistische Ökonomie koexistieren in einer antagonistischen Symbiose, die erst nach der großen Weltwirtschaftskrise in den Jahrzehnten nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg verträgliche Konfigurationen entwickelt hat. Die Politik hatte gelernt, die kapitalistischen Krisen zu dämpfen und die Ausbeutung der menschlichen Arbeitskraft und der Natur zu begrenzen, ohne die innovative Dynamik der Marktwirtschaft zu lähmen. Zugleich erlaubten die Erträge des kapitalistischen Wachstums den Ausbau sozialstaatlicher Sicherungen und marktkorrigierender Leistungen, die ihrerseits die bis dahin ja durchaus prekäre Legitimation der demokratischen Regierungsform so verstärkten, daß am Ende des Jahrhunderts konkurrierende Legitimitäts-Prätentionen nirgendwo mehr vertreten werden

Spontaneous Assembly and Induced Aggregation of Food Proteins

Beyond their nutritional value, food proteins are a versatile group of biopolymers with a considerable number of functionalities throughout their extensive structures, conformations and interaction–aggregation behaviour in solution. In the present paper, we give an overview of the induced aggregation and spontaneous reversible assembly of food proteins that lead to a diversity of supramolecular structures. After a brief description of the properties of some food proteins, the first part summarises the aggregation processes that lead to supramolecular structures with a variety of morphologies and sizes. The second part reports on the requirements that drive spontaneous assembly of oppositely charged proteins into reversible supramolecular structures. The promising new applications of these structures in food and non-food sectors are also mentioned