.... http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/landing.cda?type=Feature&chId=8 http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cma/download.cma?imageType=RssLogo&contentType=Feature&siteId=1&chId=8 http://www.spectroscopynow.com/ http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=24150&type=Feature&page=1 Researchers have used a leaf as a template to produce a complex, hierarchical structure from the magnetic and conductive material iron carbide. X-ray powder diffraction allowed them to reveal how the biological template was able to create an intricate vascular structure in a ceramic product. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=24073&type=Feature&page=1 Sheffield's David Lidzey working with Athene Donald of the University of Cambridge and experts from Cardiff University and Nick Terrill at the Diamond Light Source, the UK's synchrotron facility in Didcot, have investigated the structure of solar cell materials to help them improve photovoltaic efficiencies. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=24066&type=Feature&page=1 A method has been developed to define X-ray penetration depth based on the signal detection limits of the X-ray diffractometer and empirically verified using bilayer compacts of varying known thicknesses of mannitol and lactose. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=24035&type=Feature&page=1 Cyclobutadiene (CBD), the smallest cyclic hydrocarbon having alternating double bonds has finally succumbed to X-ray crystallography at least in terms of the determination of an immobilized derivative of the compound. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23966&type=Feature&page=1 Herpes viruses cause several incurable diseases. They infect cells by fusing viral and cellular membranes. Now, X-ray studies have revealed the unusual structure of a key protein complex that allows a herpes virus to invade cells. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23941&type=Feature&page=1 As an initial step toward elucidating the mechanism of hydrolytic action and antifungal activity, the full-length structure of the rice class I chitinase OsChia1b was analyzed by X-ray crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23890&type=Feature&page=1 A 2009 explanation for how the building blocks of life could have been activated now has new crystallographic evidence to support the emergence of the RNA world 4 billion years ago. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23836&type=Feature&page=1 US scientists have made a catalyst that triggers the creation of chemical structures exhibiting a difficult-to-make form of chirality, or handedness, known as atropisomerism, they report in the journal Science. Single-crystal, heavy-atom X-ray analysis of the major product allowed the team to assign an absolute configuration and so demonstrate efficacy. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23807&type=Feature&page=1 X-ray fluorescence revealed that iron is an intrinsic contaminant in the recycling process of bottle-grade PET samples, furnishing a way to indicate class separation of bottle-grade PET from virgin bottle-grade PET. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23776&type=Feature&page=1 X-ray crystallography has been used to determine the structure of a new, improved protein that could be employed in the purification of therapeutic antibodies and to reveal details of its complexes with antibodies. The work represents an improved molecular design based on greater stability and higher affinity of the protein for its antibody target and could cut costs in therapeutic antibody manufacture. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23680&type=Feature&page=1 X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and other techniques have been used to confirm the properties of catalysts used to make biofuels derived from a potentially sustainable woody source, lignocellulose. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23649&type=Feature&page=1 The suitability of energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) in the field of forensic document examination was illustrated by the analysis of historic documents. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23591&type=Feature&page=1 X-ray absorption spectroscopy, XAS, has been used to probe the metal centre of an important enzyme that can oxidise methane, natural gas, to methanol. Turns out the metal is copper not iron as previously thought and the discovery could open up a route to novel catalysts for converting "waste" methane (either from landfill or oil well flare-off) into useful liquid methanol for proceesing into fuel or other more valuable products. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23543&type=Feature&page=1 A new approach to generating ultra-short, high-density electron pulses for the production of advanced X-ray sources has been developed. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23525&type=Feature&page=1 A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used to collect elemental data on various mortars and hydraulic cements at an excavation site near Orvieto, Italy. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23426&type=Feature&page=1 A new X-ray study on the chemistry of the common silver-coloured, mercury-based dental fillings suggests that the surface forms of mercury may be less toxic than previously thought. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23274&type=Feature&page=1 X-ray crystallography has allowed US researchers to discover exactly how one type of New World haemorrhagic fever virus latches on to and infects human cells. The work offers a much-needed lead for new treatments. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23234&type=Feature&page=1 Micro-computed tomography imaging was used to study the second moment of area, a structural parameter that is one determinant of bending stiffness and the cortex volume of flight feather shafts of two related warbler species http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23149&type=Feature&page=1 Unusual egg-shaped fullerene molecules are rulebreakers because they do what no other fullerenes seem to do - fuse three pentagons of carbon atoms, according to chemists in China. The discovery of these molecules could lead to new insights into fullerene chemistry as well as offering new opportunities for synthesising novel materials. http://www.spectroscopyNOW.com/coi/cda/detail.cda?chId=8&id=23051&type=Feature&page=1 X-ray diffraction has led to a breakthrough in our understanding of an important aspect of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The structural results lay bare a problem a solution to which had eluded scientists for more than two decades. It has the potential to one day produce better treatments for HIV/AIDS.