NMR Knowledge Base / Ezine
Journal Highlight: Utilizing NMR and EPR spectroscopy to probe the role of copper in prion diseases
Date: Apr 29, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
Current research on the role of copper in the conformational changes associated with prion diseases are reviewed with emphasis on the latest applications of NMR and EPR spectroscopy to probe the interactions of copper with prion proteins.
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Panacea: Liquid grace or toxic snake oil?
Date: Apr 15, 2013
Author: David Bradley
Proton NMR spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectroscopy have been used to analyse snake oil, elixirs, panaceas and other quackery found in medicines prescribed from the 18th century onwards. It turns out that many of these often-patented nostrums contained highly dangerous levels of toxic elements including arsenic, mercury and lead, as well as cocaine, heroin and high levels of alcohol.
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Journal Highlight: NMR quadrupole liouvillians for arbitrary spin: Exact symbolic expressions and perturbation solutions
Date: Apr 1, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
The NMR of quadrupolar nuclei with half-integer spins, which is described by treating the quadrupole interaction with second-order perturbation theory, has been elaborated on by calculating the transitions directly without the requirement of knowing the operators and wavefunctions.
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Mouthwash: An anticancer solution
Date: Apr 1, 2013
Author: David Bradley
The active ingredients in some commercially available mouthwash solution, the bisbiguanide oral disinfectants chlorhexidine (Chlorhexamed, Chlorhexal, Periogard, Corsodyl, and Chlorohex) and alexidine (Esemdent) have been in widespread use for many years. Now, 1H,15N-HSQC NMR spectroscopy has been used in studies to investigate the structural changes these compounds can induce that lead to apoptosis in oral cancer cells.
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Life-saving NMR: Septic shock
Date: Mar 15, 2013
Author: David Bradley
NMR spectroscopy could be used to save the lives of children with septic shock by revealing the tell-tale profile of metabolites associated with the severest cases of this condition.
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Journal Highlight: Coupling of a high-resolution monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor assay and HPLC–SPE–NMR for advanced bioactivity profiling of plant extracts
Date: Mar 4, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
A photometric microplate-based high-resolution monoamine oxidase A inhibitor assay was coupled with an HPLC–SPE–tube transfer NMR system for the bioactivity profiling of plant extracts in the search for new antidepressants.
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Indicator: Beat the Alzheimer's blues
Date: Mar 1, 2013
Author: David Bradley
Methylene blue is well known as a redox indicator in chemical laboratories, but it may also have a role to play in warding off the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study, or perhaps lead to novel drugs for the disorder based on its chemical structure and properties. Mechanistic details of the compound's putative mode of action are revealed in the journal Angewandte Chemie by researchers using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and spectroscopy and other approaches.
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Pores for thought: Just shine a light
Date: Feb 15, 2013
Author: David Bradley
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, among other techniques have been used in work on polymer pores. While, irradiation with light is a wel-established approach to the initiation of polymerization as well as cross-linking (or curing of polymers) during plastics production, researchers in the USA have now demonstrated that light can be used to retroactively increase the size of the pores within a polymer network.
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Journal Highlight: How to tickle spins with a Fourier Transform NMR spectrometer
Date: Feb 4, 2013
Author: spectroscopyNOW
Spin tickling can readily be achieved in homonuclear systems with Fourier transform NMR spectrometers by applying short pulses in the intervals between the sampling points.
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Orange juice: NMR health test
Date: Feb 1, 2013
Author: David Bradley
The amino acid composition of juice from oranges grown on trees infected with HLB, Huanglongbing, a pathogen that causes citrus greening disease, can now be distinguished from that produced from healthy trees using a new application of NMR spectroscopy.
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