NMR Knowledge Base / Ezine
Magnet-free NMR: low-cost analysis on the horizon
Date: Jun 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
US researchers have demonstrated magnet-free nuclear magnetic resonance, opening up the possibility of low-cost, portable chemical analysis. Writing in the journal Nature Physics, the team says that it is just the beginning for the development of zero-field NMR although the team has already demonstrated that it is possible to get, clear, highly specific spectra.
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Romantic notes: microwaves, NMR and perfumed chemistry
Date: May 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
Cassis base 345B, undecavertol, 1,3-oxathiane oxane, isospirene... Perfume can be so romantic! But the chemical components underpinning the often-enticing and seductive smells of fragrances are, one might say equal parts art and science. One of the most intriguing elements of several fragrances, including popular perfumes like Le monde est beau by Daniela Andrier and DKNY Be Delicious by Maurice Roucel is the fruity top note - blackcurrant.
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Nuclear, magnetic, but not NMR: depleted uranium for more memory
Date: May 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
A new uranium-containing compound maintains its magnetic behaviour at low temperatures. The discovery could take us a step closer to magnetic memory devices with capacities thousands of times denser than current high-end hard drives.
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Be still, enzyme: NMR points to motion control
Date: Apr 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
Millisecond oscillations can massively impact how an enzyme functions, a new NMR spectroscopic study in the US reveals. The study suggests that finding ways to control such movements, without altering the overall structure of an enzyme might be useful in disabling an enzyme. Proof of principle was demonstrated with an enzyme from Escherichia coli.
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Designer drug identified: NMR, IR and MS reveal structure
Date: Apr 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
A new "designer" drug related to "ecstasy" has recently been found on sale as bath salts in the USA, although it was first identified on the black market in Germany in 2009. A new study discusses how infrared and NMR spectroscopy were used in conjunction with mass spectrometry to identify the compound as 3,4 methylenedioxypyrrolidinobutyrophenone.
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Bloody camouflage: NMR analysis assists universal tranfusion
Date: Mar 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
Coating blood cells with an immunological camouflage could one day lead to a new type of blood product that avoids the problem of A,B,O,± blood typing currently required for transfusion patients. NMR spectroscopy underpins the analytical work.
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Prionic attack: NMR characterises small molecule inhibitors
Date: Mar 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
US researchers have identified a group of compounds with the help of NMR spectroscopy, the 2-aminothiazoles, as possible non-toxic lead compounds in the search for a pharmaceutical to treat prion diseases, such as CJD.
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Small molecules against Ebola: NMR reveals drug leads
Date: Feb 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
There is neither vaccine nor cure for the Ebola virus, which causes fatal haemorrhagic fever in humans. However, a new NMR spectroscopic study by US researchers scientists has led to the discovery of a family of small molecules that apparently bind to the outer protein coat of the virus and halt its entry into human cells, so offering the possibility of an antiviral medication against the disease.
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First fruit: NMR characterisation of grape berries
Date: Feb 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
The position in which a grape in a bunch matures on the vine seems to influence the production of different metabolites more than the specific genetic clone from which the vine is raised, according to new NMR data.
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Herpes 3D: NMR reveals viral protein hijacking
Date: Jan 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
UK scientists have used NMR for the first time to develop a 3D picture of a herpes virus protein interacting with a key part of the human cellular machinery. The study improves our understanding of how the virus hijacks human cells and could eventually lead to new targets for drug therapy.
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