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COLUMNS

• THE BASELINE
  Spectroscopy Is Applied Quantum Mechanics, Part I: The Need for Quantum Mechanics
  David Ball teaches students that if theory doesn't agree with nature, there are two choices: change the theory, or change nature. Unfortunately, all attempts to change nature have failed. The only choice then is to change the theory. In this first part of a multipart series, he reviews the failures of clasical mechanics that necessitated the development of a new theory of nature.
  David Ball

• FOCUS ON QUALITY
  Electronic Records Management
  Paper is easy to archive, but what about archiving electronic records? What do you do with all the electronic records that are generated? In this month's installment, columnist Bob McDowall explores the issue of electronic records management and looks at the recent guidance issued by the OECD for GLP laboratories.
  R.D. McDowall

ARTICLE

• End of the Spectrum: Spectroscosaurus Rex
  Spectroscopy editor Brian Johnson discusses recent mass spectrometric findings linking dinosaurs and modern birds.
  Brian Johnson

• 2007 Article Index

DEPARTMENTS

• From the Editor
• News Spectrum
• Directory of Associations
• Calendar

COLUMNS

• FOCUS ON QUALITY
  Understanding the FDA's Current Thinking on Security and Access Control Requirements for Computerized Systems
  Using information provided by guidance documents from outside the spectroscopy laboratory can be very useful when trying to meet the regulations that we must follow.
  R.D. McDowall

• MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY WORKBENCH
  Raman Micro Imaging - What Was a Concept in 1975 Is Now a Reality
  Raman microscopy was developed as a tool for microanalysis complementary to the electron microscope, which enabled identification of the elements in a microspot. The first realization for Raman imaging was implemented using a nonconfocal optical method. Subsequently, a confocal scheme was developed, which provided better contrast in the Raman image. A number of successful examples from pathology, pharmaceutical analysis, and geology will be shown.
  Fran Adar

ARTICLES

• Liquid Matrices for Analyses by UV-MALDI Mass Spectrometry
  Data are presented for a pH-adjustable liquid UV-matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) matrix for mass spectrometry analysis. The liquid matrix system possesses high analytical sensitivity within the same order of magnitude as that achievable by the commonly used solid UV-MALDI matrices but with improved spot homogeneity and reproducibility. The pH of the matrix has been adjusted, achieving an on-target pH range of 3.5-8.6, which has allowed for the performance of a tryptic digest within the diluted pH-optimized liquid matrix.
  Mark Towers and Rainer Cramer

• Early Detection of Gastric Cancer Using Wavelet Feature Extraction and Neural Network Classification of FT-IR
  A new method for the early detection of gastric cancer uses a combination of feature extraction based upon continuous wavelets for Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and classification using an artificial neural network trained with a back-propagation algorithm.
  Cungui Cheng, Gonglei Sun, and Changjiang Zhang

DEPARTMENTS

• From the Editor
• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Calendar
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• MASS SPECTROMETRY FORUM
  Quantitative Mass Spectrometry: Part II
  In this month's installment, columnist Ken Busch continues his discussion of quantitative mass spectrometry with a look at the "cancel out" claim and some of the statistical underpinnings for the proportional comparison of instrument responses for standard knowns and unknowns.
  Kenneth L. Busch

• MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY WORKBENCH
  Raman Spectroscopy - An Old Technology That Has Come of Age
  Columnist Fran Adar discusses the evolution of Raman spectroscopy instrumentation and new applications for this more sensitive, easy-to-use technology.
  Fran Adar

ARTICLES

• Imaging Local Chemical Microstructure of Germinated Wheat with Synchrotron Infrared Microspectroscopy
  The biological process of germination in wheat is accompanied by localized chemical distribution of lipid and protein, particularly within the germ area of the kernel. As the embryo develops, it draws sustenance from the scutellum and to some degree from the endosperm throughout the kernel. This study was focused on the embryo/scutellum material balance. A focal plane array Fourier transform (FT)-IR microspectrometer was used to obtain 48,000 spectra from scutella in situ to provide quantitative functional group comparison.
  Hicran Koc and David L. Wetzel

• Time-Gated Confocal Microscopy
  Raman microspectroscopy is a powerful tool for noninvasive chemical analysis of tissues, cells, and cellular structures. To achieve the highest signal-to-noise ratio and fidelity of Raman spectra, the background must be minimized. A careful system design, based upon the employment of very efficient Kerr-gating materials, makes confocal Raman microscopy possible with significantly shorter acquisition times. The new instrument is tested for a variety of biomedical systems, and possible applications are outlined together with routes for further improvement.
  Vladimir V. Yakovlev

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Calendar
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• THE BASELINE
  Light-Emitting Diodes
  Columnist David Ball discusses the search for light sources that are more energy efficient than incandescent light bulbs. In particular, he focuses on light-emitting diodes.
  David W. Ball

• CHEMOMETRICS IN SPECTROSCOPY
  The Long, Complicated, Tedious, and Difficult Route to Principal Components: Part I
  In this month's installment, columnists Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr. present the derivation of the principal component algorithm using elementary algebra.
  Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr.

ARTICLES

• 34th Annual FACSS Meeting
  Spectroscopy previews the 34th Annual Meeting of the FACSS, which will be held in Memphis, Tennessee.
  Brian Johnson

• Mid-IR Luminescence of Nanocrystalline II-VI Semiconductors Doped with Transition Metal Ions
  A novel method of transition metal (TM) (Cr, Co, and Fe)-doped nanocrystals fabrication based upon laser ablation was demonstrated. For the first time, mid-IR luminescence from TM:II-VI nanocrystals was reported.
  C. Kim, D.V. Martyshkin, V.V. Fedorov, I.S. Moskalev, and S.B. Mirov

• Analysis of Diamonds by FT-IR Spectroscopy
  Diamonds are by far the world's most popular gemstone. Because of this popularity and the high prices of quality gemstones, there is a large market for cheaper counterfeit stones that resemble diamonds. Detecting these counterfeit stones can be a significant problem for diamond buyers when the stones are represented as the genuine article by unscrupulous sellers. Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy can be a useful tool for buyers and sellers to determine authenticity.
  Stephen Lowry

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Calendar
• Ad Index

BUYERS' GUIDE

• SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTATION: SPECTROMETER SYSTEMS
• OPTICS, ELECTRO-OPTICS, OPTRONICS, FIBEROPTICS, AND RELATED COMPONENTS
• SAMPLING/SAMPLE HANDLING
• SPECTROSCOPY SOFTWARE/COMPUTER HARDWARE/AUTOMATION PRODUCTS
• SPECTROSCOPY SERVICES
• GENERAL SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES
• PROCESS ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTATION
• BIOANALYSIS INSTRUMENTS

DEPARTMENTS

• PRODUCT INDEX
• MANUFACTURER DIRECTORY

COLUMNS

• FOCUS ON QUALITY
  Validation of Spectrometry Software - To Patch or Not To Patch - That Is the Question
  Columnist Bob McDowall discusses operating system security patches.
  R.D. McDowall

• MASS SPECTROMETRY FORUM
  Quantitative Mass Spectrometry: Part I
  In this month's installment, columnist Ken Busch discusses how to best answer the questions "What is it?" and "How much is there?"
  Kenneth L. Busch

ARTICLES

• DXC 2007: The World's Leading Forum for X-Ray Materials Analysis
  Spectroscopy previews the 56th Annual Denver X-Ray Conference, which will be held from July 30 to August 3 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
  Brian Johnson

• X-Ray Technology Today: An Overview
  The twentieth century saw the rise of several novel instrumental techniques based on the use of X-rays. Today, X-ray spectroscopy and diffractometry continue to prove their utility as advances in instrumentation produce new methods and enable new applications.
  Mike Tice

• Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging: The Emerging Evolution from a Microscopy Tool to a Cancer Imaging Modality
  The authors examine some of the novel biomedical applications of FT-IR imaging that are emerging today.
  Gokulakrishnan Srinivasan and Rohit Bhargava

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum
• Optics East 2007 Preview
• Products Showcase
• Calendar
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• THE BASELINE
  Fire and Flames
  Columnist David Ball discusses the fact that spectroscopy is based upon light and considers the spectroscopy of fire and flame.
  David W. Ball

• CHEMOMETRICS IN SPECTROSCOPY
  What Can NIR Predict?
  Columnists Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr. discuss the application of chemometric methods of relating measured NIR absorbances to compositional variables of samples.
  Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr.

• Addendum to Chemometrics in Spectroscopy
  Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr.

ARTICLES

• Review of the 55th Annual ASMS Conference
  Brian Johnson

• Dealing With the Masses: A Tutorial on Accurate Masses, Mass Uncertainties, and Mass Defects
  This tutorial illustrates the most important definitions used in high-resolution mass spectrometry and clarifies the misconceptions surrounding some of the relevant terms used in this field.
  Andrew D. Leslie and Dietrich A. Volmer

• Measurement of Water in Ethanol Using Encoded Photometric NIR Spectroscopy
  For ethanol to be usable as a fuel, water must be removed in the distillation process. This article reviews an experiment conducted to test the capability of an EP-IR spectrometer to quantify the percentage volume of water in ethanol.
  John Beauchaine and Jenni Briggs

DEPARTMENTS

• Letters to the Editor
• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• CHEMOMETRICS IN SPECTROSCOPY
  Corrections to Analysis of Noise: Part I
  Columnists Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr. respond to reader feedback regarding their 14-part column on the analysis of noise in spectroscopy by presenting another approach to analyzing the situation.
  Howard Mark and Jerome Workman, Jr.

ARTICLES

• Pittcon 2007: New Products and Technologies
  John Coates brings us a wrap-up of what was new and interesting at Pittcon this year, bringing readers a comprehensive review of the products and accessories introduced at this year's conference.
  John Coates

• Probing the Structural Effects of Pasteurization and Spray Drying on Soy Protein Isolate in the Presence of Trehalose Using FT-IR-ATR and FT-Raman Spectroscopy
  The authors present the results of a study in which FT-IR-ATR and FT-Raman spectrosopies were used to probe the effects of pasteurization and spray drying on the secondary structure of soy protein isolate.
  Douglas L. Elmore, Sean A. Smith, Carrie A. Lendon, and Allen R. Muroski

• Basic Fundamental Parameters in X-Ray Fluorescence
  The "fundamental parameters" approach to calibration in X-ray fluorescence is unique because it is based upon the theoretical relationship between measured X-ray intensities and the concentrations of elements in the sample. In this tutorial, an introduction to the means of calibration is provided based upon a simplified instrument-sample geometry, thus eliminating some of the mathematical details of the traditional derivations.
  Volker Thomsen

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• FOCUS ON QUALITY
  Validation of Spectrometry Software - Audit Trails for Spectrometer Software
  Columnist Bob McDowall discusses the use of audit trails in the software applications used to control spectrometers that acquire, interpret, and report results from analyses. An effective audit trail is imperative to ensure the integrity of the data and the conclusions reached by the spectroscopist.
  R.D. McDowall

• MASS SPECTROMETRY FORUM
  Jelly Beans and Mass Spectrometry for K-4 Students
  In this month's installment, columnist Ken Busch presents an elementary explanation of mass spectrometry that is appropriate for a young student audience, or for, perhaps just explaining to family what you actually do for a living.
  Kenneth L. Busch

ARTICLES

• The Investigation of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy for Detection of Biological Contaminants on Surfaces
  The potential utility of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a means to detect biological contaminants on painted surfaces is investigated.
  D.W. Merdes, J.M. Suhan, J.M. Keay, D.M. Hadka, and W.R. Bradley

• Wavelength Standards for the Near-Infrared Spectral Region
  This article compares three regulatory standards for near-infrared wavelength references and then reviews currently available materials. Reference types discussed include gas and vapor band spectra, solid artifacts in both transmittance and reflectance, and liquids in transmittance. Traceability issues are discussed in connection with calibration and qualification regulatory compliance requirements, particularly for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
  Christopher Burgess and John Hammond

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Literature
• Calendar
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• THE BASELINE
  The Electromagnetic Spectrum: A History
  David Ball discusses how the electromagnetic spectrum was originally mapped out and what this means for spectroscopy.
  David W. Ball

• MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY WORKBENCH
  SIFT-MS: Gas-Phase Chemistry - MS with a Difference
  Guest author Rebecca Bain of SYFT Technologies discusses a new technique for VOC analysis. SIFT-MS can be used successfully in a wide variety of applications, including medical research, shipping container air analysis, laboratory analysis, and air-quality monitoring.
  Rebecca Bain

ARTICLES

• 2007 Salary Survey
  Staff editor Brian Johnson takes a look at this year's salaries and trends in employment for spectroscopists.
  Brian Johnson

• Spectroscopy: Still Important and Surprisingly Robust
  Industry expert Lawrence Schmid presents his annual overview of the market in the laboratory analytical and life science instrument industry. Strong growth in Asia and continued growth in North America and Europe are promising signs for the industry in 2007 and beyond.
  Lawrence S. Schmid

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum
• Products Showcase
• Literature
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• CHEMOMETRICS IN SPECTROSCOPY
  Limitations in Analytical Accuracy, Part II: Theories to Describe the Limits in Analytical Accuracy and Comparing Test Results for Analytical Uncertainty
  In the second part of this series, columnists Jerome Workman, Jr. and Howard Mark continue their discussion of the limitations of analytical accuracy and uncertainty.
  Jerome Workman, Jr. and Howard Mark

• MOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY WORKBENCH
  Think Small Revisited: Handheld Spectroscopy
  Guest author John Coates describes handheld measurements performed using a palm-sized device that can be used either as an open-ended spectrometer or as a dedicated analyzer.
  John Coates

ARTICLES

• NIR Chemical Imaging for Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Products Analysis
  NIR chemical imaging provides a rapid method for detecting and comparing suspected counterfeit pharmaceutical products with no sample preparation.
  Janie Dubois, Jean-Claude Wolff, John K. Warrack, Joseph Schoppelrei, and E. Neil Lewis

• Raman Spectroscopy of Conformational Changes in Membrane-Bound Sodium Potassium ATPase
  In this investigation the authors assess the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for probing conformational changes in membrane-spanning proteins - in this case, the sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na+,K+-ATPase).
  Claus Hélix Nielsen, Salim Abdali, Jens August Lundb‘k, and Flemming Cornelius

• Resonance Light Scattering Spectrum of the Alizarin Green-CTMAB-Nucleic Acids System and Determination of Nucleic Acids at Nanogram Levels
  The study of the interaction mechanism of nucleic acids-CTMAB with AG showed that the enhanced RLS comes from the aggregation of AG on nucleic acids through the bridged and synergistic effect of CTMAB.
  Xiaoming Chen, Changqun Cai, Hang Gong, and He'an Luo

DEPARTMENTS

• Editor's Letter
• News Spectrum
• Pittcon Preview
• Products Showcase
• Literature
• Calendar
• End of the Spectrum
• Ad Index

COLUMNS

• THE BASELINE
  Atomic Clocks: An Application of Spectroscopy
  In the previous installment of this column, the author discussed clocks as the first scientific instrument. What do clocks have to do with spectroscopy? Actually, the world's most accurate clocks, atomic clocks, are based upon a spectroscopic transition of cesium or other elements, making spectroscopy a fundamental tool in our measurements of the natural universe.
  David W. Ball

• MASS SPECTROMETRY FORUM
  The Inductively Coupled Plasma Source
  In recent columns, the careful work needed to characterize and optimize electron ionization (EI) sources was described. This month, Ken Busch focuses on the potential for mass discrimination in the ICP source.
  Kenneth L. Busch

ARTICLES

• ICP-MS Analysis of Trace Selenium in the Great Salt Lake
  Because of concerns over increasing levels of anthropogenic pollutants in the Great Salt Lake in Utah, the Utah Division of Water Quality recently conducted a round-robin study of selenium in ambient and spiked Great Salt Lake waters to determine the most practical analytical technique for its detection. Of the techniques applied, only hydride generation atomic absorption and octopole reaction system ICP-MS provided acceptable results.
  William O. Moellmer, Theron G. Miller, Steve Wilbur, and Emmett Soffey

• Surface-Enhanced Nanosensors
  This review article summarizes biological applications that utilize surface plasmon resonance, localized surface plasmon resonance, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
  Chanda Ranjit Yonzon, Xiaoyu Zhang, Jing Zhao, and Richard P. Van Duyne

DEPARTMENTS

• News Spectrum12
• Products
• Literature
• Ad Index
• Classified Directory