X-ray Spectrometry / Ezine
Journal Highlight: Towards three-dimensional quantitative reconstruction of cement microstructure by X-ray diffraction microtomography
Date: May 9, 2011
Author:
An X-ray diffraction computed microtomography method combined with Rietveld-based quantitative phase analysis and image processing was used to provide quantitative information on the distribution of the various phases present in cement-based materials.
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Volcanic ash cloud: X-rays reveal grounding jets was right choice
Date: May 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
When Eyjafjallajökull spewed volcanic ash into the atmosphere in 2010, airlines were thrown into chaos as the authorities grounded all planes. But was the move justified, did it stop potentially catastrophic damage to aircraft? A new study that takes a close look at the behaviour of ash particles would suggest so.
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Life clues: X-rays go deeper into origins
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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Journal Highlight: The determination of elements in welding fume by X-ray spectrometry and UniQuant
Date: Apr 11, 2011
Author:
A method is proposed to determine elements in welding fume using X-ray fluorescence and a fundamental parameter software package known as UniQuant.
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Enantioselective synthesis: XRD facilitates anticancer drug preparation
Date: Apr 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
X-ray diffraction has been carried out on a chemical cousin of the natural product "Nutlins" and has helped in the enantioselective synthesis of this novel, but potentially important class of anticancer agents.
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Quantum prediction: polymorphs determined theoretically
Date: Mar 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
Frank Leusen and his co-workers at the University of Bradford, England, have turned to a quantum mechanical approach to help them predict the three known possible polymorphic structures of a sulfonimide. The work could assist crystallographers in structure determination of unknowns.
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Journal Highlight: Determination of essential and toxic trace elements in ten herbal medicines using energy-dispersive XRF analysis
Date: Mar 14, 2011
Author:
The elemental concentration of 19 elements in 10 ayurvedic drugs has been analyzed using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence, with some alarming results for mercury.
Read MorePump it up: crystal clue to bacterial resistance
Date: Mar 1, 2011
Author: David Bradley
Two parts of the three-part system that pumps toxins from bacteria and allows them to resist the chemical onslaught of antibiotics has been identified and described using crystallography. The structure could help in the development of new drugs that might circumvent antibiotic resistance.
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Biology by X-ray: ultra-short pulses, less damage
Date: Feb 15, 2011
Author: David Bradley
Researchers have discovered that ultra-short X-ray pulses can produce exquisite measurements at the molecular level of biological objects by grabbing a "snapshot" just before the sample succumbs to radiation damage.
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Journal Highlight: Photon-in photon-out soft X-ray spectroscopy for materials science
Date: Feb 7, 2011
Author:
A brief overview is given of the three elements of photon-in photon-out spectroscopy: X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering.
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