Base Peak / Ezine
Gently does it: SIMS of drug-polymer composites separates spectra of individual components
Date: May 15, 2011
Author: Steve Down
A version of secondary ion mass spectrometry, known as gentle-SIMS, has been used to separate the mass spectra of a drug from that of its polymeric carrier matrix in a process likened to chromatographic separation, which can be carried out in real time.
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Journal Highlight: GC/MS based hair steroid profiling may reveal pathogenesis in hair follicles of the scalp
Date: May 9, 2011
Author:
A GC/MS method of steroid profiling, including androgens, progestins, corticoids and sterols, was developed to evaluate the concentrations of steroids as well as the activities of the enzymes responsible for steroidogenesis in hair.
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Decontaminating illicit drug labs: DART speeds up screening
Date: May 1, 2011
Author: Steve Down
A rapid procedure has been established by US government scientists for the detection of illegal drugs on surfaces using ambient mass spectrometry, to ensure decontamination of ex-drug labs before they are made accessible to the public.
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Air flow-assisted ionisation: Novel technique facilitates remote sampling
Date: Apr 15, 2011
Author: Steve Down
Ambient mass spectrometry has been boosted by the development of an air flow-assisted ionisation source which enhanced the capture and transport of charged species and provided sensitive remote sampling in real time.
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Journal Highlight: Progress in SIFT-MS: Breath analysis and other applications
Date: Apr 11, 2011
Author:
The development of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) is described from the large SIFT instruments used to demonstrate the feasibility of SIFT-MS towards the smaller but bulky transportable instruments and finally to the current smallest instruments that have been located in various places, including hospitals and schools, to obtain on-line breath analyses.
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Chinese ink sticks: Pyrolysing PAHs for differentiating soot sources
Date: Apr 1, 2011
Author: Steve Down
Chinese ink sticks have been differentiated on the basis of their PAH content by pyrolysis-GC/MS, which also detects additives such as fatty acids, and performs far better than GC/MS alone.
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Monkey business: oxygen isotope ratios correlate between hair and bone
Date: Mar 15, 2011
Author: Steve Down
The oxygen isotope ratios of hair and bioapatite from rhesus macaque monkeys show a strong correlation, say UK researchers, allowing one to be used as a substitute for the other when tissues are limited. Climate, altitude and distance from the source of precipitation influence the values.
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Journal Highlight: The evolving field of imaging mass spectrometry and its impact on future biological research
Date: Mar 14, 2011
Author:
The evolution and current state of imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is discussed and some of the directions that IMS could develop in order to stay on course to become one of the most promising new tools in life science research are outlined.
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Equine insulin doping control: detection of different insulin species for new test
Date: Mar 1, 2011
Author: Steve Down
Five foreign insulins have been detected in equine urine for the first time, using a mass spectrometry technique to distinguish them from equine insulin. The technique demonstrates that urine can be used for doping control of insulin in horses.
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Toxic winds: PCBs from West Africa overwhelm the Atlantic
Date: Feb 15, 2011
Author: Steve Down
The discovery of unexpectedly high airborne levels of PCBs off the coast of West Africa has led scientists to suggest that there are unaccounted sources on the African mainland which are not included in current worldwide inventory models. Dumping of electronic waste and the disposal of old ships are possible explanations.
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