Base Peak / Ezine
Gut instinct: Stem cell reactions
Date: Apr 1, 2013
Author: David Bradley
In research funded by Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and with support from the Fondazione Citta della Speranza, researchers have demonstrated that stem cells taken from amniotic fluid can be used to restore gut structure and function following intestinal damage in rodents. The new work published in the journal Gut uses magnetic resonance imaging and could pave the way to a new form of cell therapy that is able to reverse serious damage caused by inflammation in the intestines of babies.
Read More
Keeping your nerve: VX in drinking water
Date: Mar 15, 2013
Author: Steve Down
The nerve agent VX has been determined in drinking water by a high-throughput LC/MS method combined with special treatment to prevent it from decomposing before analysis.
Read More
Journal Highlight: Investigations of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial compounds with proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry for a real-time threat monitoring scenario
Date: Mar 11, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
Chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial compounds have been studied by high-resolution PTR-TOFMS to identify key product ions and their intensities with which to develop a low-resolution PTR-MS system for detecting threat agents in the atmosphere.
Read More
Two are better than one: Dual electrosprays for desorbed samples in ambient mass spectrometry
Date: Mar 1, 2013
Author: Steve Down
A laser desorption ambient mass spectrometry system with two post-desorption sprayers gives the flexibility to carry out different procedures on the same sample during the same experiment, rapidly switching spectra.
Read More
Safety of implantable medical devices: Antioxidant breakdown products classified
Date: Feb 15, 2013
Author: Steve Down
Components related to antioxidants that leach out of implantable medical devices, like artificial joint inserts, have been identified and measured by GC/MS to check their safety credentials.
Read More
Journal Highlight: Early synthetic dyes – a challenge for tandem mass spectrometry
Date: Feb 11, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
Early yellow synthetic dyes from silk fibres taken from the 1930 spring colour palette of the Lyon Dyers’ Guild (La Chambre Syndicale des Teinturiers) have been identified, primarily by electrospray MS/MS.
Read More
Tipping point: Wooden toothpicks for ambient ionisation of illegal drugs
Date: Feb 1, 2013
Author: Steve Down
Ketamine and its major metabolite norketamine have been measured in urine and oral fluid by ambient electrospray mass spectrometry using a wooden toothpick as the sample holder.
Read More
Hydrogen from silicon: Just add water
Date: Feb 1, 2013
Author: David Bradley
Two techniques, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight-secondary-ion-mass-spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), have been used in parallel to show how adding water to silicon can generate hydrogen. The work might take us another step closer to the so-called carbon-free hydrogen economy.
Read More
Fading dyes: Crystal violet degradation under UV light
Date: Jan 16, 2013
Author: Steve Down
The full range of crystal violet photodegradation products have been identified by mass spectrometry, shedding light on the discolouration of historical artefacts and works of art.
Read More
Journal Highlight: Laser diode thermal desorption mass spectrometry for the analysis of quinolone antibiotic residues in aquacultured seafood
Date: Jan 14, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
Flumequine, oxolinic acid and nalidixic acid were extracted from catfish, shrimp and salmon and analysed by laser diode thermal desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization with tandem mass spectrometry.
Read More
